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A QUAKER DIARY 

IN THE ORIENT 



By William C. Allen 

'I 



Press of 

Wright-Eley Company 

San Jose, California 

1915 



p. 



50« 



^<o 



Copyright, 1915 
Ev William C. Allen 



'CI.A410851 



OCT -4 1915 



T T shall come to pass that in the place where it 
■^ was said unto them, Ye are not my people, it 
shall be said unto them. Ye are the sons of the liv- 
ing God. 

Ho sea, i jo. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

I. First Days in Japan 10 

II. With Peace Workers and Premier 19 

III. The Mito Trip 29 

IV. Tokyo and Yokohama 33 

V. Last Days in Japan 40 

VI. Korea 47 

VII. In Peking '. 54 

VIII. Overtime in Peking 62 

IX. The Heart of China 68 

X. Southern China 79 

XL The Philippines 88 

XII. Southward Bound 95 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

(From Photographs by the Author.) 



Missionaries on S. S. Sibei-ia Frontispiece J 

PAGE 

In Yokohama Harbor 11^ 

Gym Work at Friends' School, Tokyo 11 

Street Scene in Tokyo 16 . 

Gateway to Public School, Kobe 16. 

A Typical Temple 24 

A Little Garden in Japan 24 

Two Little Friends 30 

"Going to Meeting" 30 

A "Little Mother" 34. 

"I Go a Fishing" 34- 

Village Scene near Kyoto 42 

In Zoological Garden of Kyoto 42 

Theological Students at Seoul 46 

One of the Gates of Seoul 46 

"Temple of Heaven/' Seoul..... 50 

Korean Country Life and Mourning Hats 50 

Amber Merchants at Seoul 54 

Chinese Architecture .-. 54 

Llama Temple, Peking 58 

Priests at Llama Temple at Peking 58 

American Board Compound, Peking \ 66 

One of the Many Towers of Peking 66 

A Peking Street Barber 74 

Boat Life in Canton 74 

A "Slipper Boat" at Canton 82 

On the Pasig River at Manila 82 

A Nipa House in the Philippines 90 

In Old Manila 90 

In the Heart of Manila 98 

One of the Old Gates of Manila 98 



A FTER Iea\ing Asia my thought was this: 
■^ •*■ Nineteen centuries ago Jesus Christ with 
humble mien visited the people of Asia. They 
nailed him to a tree and thought they had destroyed 
him. 

Now the still-living Christ triumphantly returns to 
Asia. Her strong men begin to feel that the regener- 
ation of their continent must be found in him. 

They do not want a vaguely-understood Christ — 
they need the real Christ. 

Can we not help them.'' 



FOREWORD. 

iL^ ARLY in the year 1914 I suddenly became impressed with the be- 
TIj lief that it was the Divine will that I should visit the Far East, 
^^^ etc. Yielding to this impulse T secured the credentials which 
are granted to its ministers by the Society of Friends — often called 
Quakers — for religious work abroad. My friend of many years, Wil- 
liam B. Harvey, an elder in the same denomination, accompanied me. 
My devoted wife formed the third and ever optimistic and helpful 
member of the party. 

Long after we had settled on a date for sailing, the great war broke 
out. Whilst many of our friends naturally felt that conditions were 
inopportune, and personally dangerous for such work, my own impres- 
sion was that it was right to leave America at the time originally ex- 
pected. We had to proceed on faith. Events proved that the time 
for participating in the particular service into which, from country to 
country, we were led, was both opportune and providential. 

Before leaving America, numerous church leaders of different de- 
nominations on the Pacific Coast became interested in the prospective 
trip, and took occasion to utilize it on behalf of the International Peace 
movement with which I had for a number of years been associated with 
them. The many letters of introduction granted me by these brethren, 
and other men well known in America and the Orient, assisted in many 
ways. I am glad to here acknowledge their sympathy and help. 

Up to the time of our departure I could not see or tell the nature of 
the anticipated work. Much of it developed into efforts to neutralize 
the unhappy attempts made on the part of some to sow discord between 
America and Japan. This work seemed to be fruitful and has enlarged 
the way for further action by Christian organizations in the same di- 
rection. 

A large part of our labor proved to be on gospel lines according to 
the simple usage of conservative Friends. Hence, when speaking of 
worship, the repeated references to times of silent prayer or waiting 
upon God. I have kept to the old Quaker way of speaking of dates in 
numerical fashion. Thus "Ninth month" is September, "First month" 
is January, and so on. "First day" is Sunday, etc. 

This rather desultory diary was not, as may easily be seen, origi- 
nally intended for other eyes than my own. It claims no literary 
merit. It may interest some who are not attracted to philosophical 
discourses on internationalism. If its few and simple pages can en- 
courage any to uphold the noble band of Christian workers in the 
Orient, or to follow the things that make for righteousness and peace, 
I shall be glad. 

William C. Allen. 
San Jose, California. 



I. 

FIRST DAYS IN JAPAN. 

Ninth Month 23, 1914. 

On the fifth of ninth month, 1914, accompanied by my wife 
and WilHam B. Harvey, I left San Francisco for Yokohoma. 
Esther A. Balderson, of the Friends' Tokyo Mission, was also 
with us. Our voyage was delightful in most respects. I be- 
lieve that there were only three tourists on board, and these 
were not of the empty-headed variety. The company of 
about fifty missionaries made a unique experience in travel- 
ing. Some of them were able to assist us with needed infor- 
mation with respect to China, in event of our visiting that 
country. 

I had a little public work on the ship. As the second First- 
day of the voyage approached I felt as if some opportunity to 
address my fellow-passengers was required, but on inquiry 
of the purser ascertained that an Episcopal service was to be 
read by a clergyman of that denomination. The preceding 
evening, however, he and another minister asked me to speak 
at the contemplated service. As this selection out of the 
many ministers aboard seemed to open the way, I accepted 
the invitation. What I said was largely based on thought 
that developed when once on my feet, and, whilst not of a 
nature to suit those who desire an easy Christian life, it 
seemed acceptable to not a few of the audience present. 

We arrived at Gilbert Bowles' Home at the Friends' Mis- 
sion, Tokyo, yesterday afternoon, and received a warm wel- 
come. Two meetings were held to-day in his parlor, both for 
the purpose of extending a welcome to us, and for formulat- 
ing tentative plans as to work in this country. 

Ninth Month 24. 

Accompanied by Gilbert Bowles on this morning we had 
an interview with Baron Sakatani, who had expressed a de- 
sire to meet with me. He is ex-Minister of Finance of Japan 



12 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

and now Mayor of Tokyo. I explained to him the objects of 
The Peace Committee of the Pacific Coast Churches, of which 
I am secretary, and the kindly feelings of the members of 
the Christian Churches in America toward Japan, also pre- 
senting to him a copy of the address to the people of Japan 
from the Committee. The conversation resulted in arrang- 
ing to see other prominent Japanese with the view of secur- 
ing as wide a dissemination of the address as possible. 

Ninth Month 25. 

We to-day called on Dr. Soyeda, ex-Vice Minister of Fi- 
nance of the Empire. He impressed me as a very able and 
sincere man. I presented my letter of introduction, ad- 
dressed to him, and he made valuable suggestions as to the- 
prosecution of the peace embassy from the Coast churches. 
He lives in a beautiful house with all indications of wealth 
and service. It seems odd in Japan to be met at the doors 
by maids who fall prostrate to the earth, with forehead to 
the floor, before speaking to the visitor. Our host was so 
courteous, and so transparently interested in the dissemina- 
tion of the spirit of human brotherhood that it was difficult 
to imagine him as not being a genuine Christian. 

At one end of the reception room of one of Japan's leading 
statesmen where we called to-day was a wide recess, and in 
it a large image of Buddha. It looked weird in its home-like 
surroundings. Its owner is a most cultured and agreeable 
gentleman. 

Another call on Dr. Kozaki, the President of the Federated 
Christian Churches of Japan, followed. His Christian spirit 
was keenly manifested, my letter presented, and his assist- 
ance secured. Then we went to see good Dr. S. Ibuka, 
President of the Presbyterian College of Tokyo. My letter 
for him was delivered and he promised all his influence to 
further our labors in Japan. 

We are compelled to proceed slowly in making these visits. 
The distances are great in Tokyo — and communication is 
generally by rickshaws. Our little men pull us up and down 
hill, through the slippery and often muddy streets. They 
almost double up going up hill, and their strength in their 
lower limbs, which are splendidly developed, is amazing. 




Street Scene in Tokyo. 




Gateway to Public School, Kobe. 



First Days in Japan. 13 

Their occupation is a hard one, yet the rickshaw men always 
look happy. 

If any one desires to "get close to the people," all he has to 
do is to take a Tokyo tram-car. They are generally crowded 
with a swaying mass of middle-class and poorer folk, old and 
young, students in kimonos, and sometimes women nursing 
their babies. Often some of the people will remove their 
geta (wooden shoes), leaving them on the floor, and in bare 
feet sit on their heels on the seats of the car. The hand- 
straps that hang down from the car roofs dangle in front of 
the faces of the taller white passengers. The floors are 
sanded and mostly kept wet. They are not altogether com- 
fortable. But the Japanese personal cleanliness, and their 
usually innate politeness, tend to lubricate the situation with 
respect to the foreigner's feelings. The rickshaws, drawn 
by willing and smiling little men all over the city, are much 
more to my liking. 

Ninth Month 26. 

This morning I was able to make my introduction the basis 
of an interesting interview with the United States Ambas- 
sador to Japan. He expressed himself frankly to us. The 
influences to promote friction between the governments of 
the United States and Japan are making much anxious work 
for the officials of the two governments. 

A large part of the afternoon was consumed in an appoint- 
ment to see Baron Shibusawa, with whom we conversed 
about one hour. He is esteemed the greatest business man 
of Japan and has been a consistent worker on behalf of in- 
ternational peace. He expressed himself desirous of helping 
me in my efforts and made some useful suggestions. But he 
at the same time expressed the grief that some prominent 
Japanese feel at what they apprehend is the tendency in 
America for the Government at Washington and in Califor- 
nia to yield to the anti-Japanese element in the United 
States. He asked, in effect, what I had anticipated would be 
a natural inquiry in Japan, "If many of your good citizens 
are opposed to the action of your legislative body and 
send us your address, how is it that our Japanese citizens in 
California are so unfairly discriminated against?" To this 



14 A Quaker Diary in the Orient, 

I can answer that in a democracy the position of citizens ani- 
mated by Christian principle is not always such as they 
would desire, and that the address can at least explain their 
feelings. It can reveal that they desire to show a sympa- 
thetic Christian attitude toward the people of Japan, which 
the latter should certainly appreciate, and also exhibits the 
fact that public sentiment on the Pacific Coast is honestly 
somewhat divided with respect to what we call the "Japa- 
nese question." 

In all these interviews we have been accompanied by our 
invaluable helper, Gilbert Bowles, whose sincere labor on be- 
half of good relations between his native and adopted coun- 
tries is recognized by many. 

Baron Shibusawa is said to have recently confessed at a 
public dinner, that he was so concerned regarding the deteri- 
oration of morals in Japan as to have two men meet with him 
regularly at 10 o'clock in evenings, after business cares were 
over, to read and instruct him out of the Bible. 

First Day, Ninth Month 26. 

A delightful meeting for worship was attended by us in 
the meeting-house of the Friends' Mission in Tokyo. The 
spirit of worship and the Divine Spirit Himself was in our 
midst. It was held just as in Philadelphia, excepting that a 
hymn was sung near the close. 

Tenth Month 10. 

On the 3rd inst. we went to Kobe. This was a long day's 
railway journey throug-h a populous and beautiful country. 
The following being First-day, we attended the regular union 
service for the English-speaking people of Kobe. The lat- 
ter half of the service was given over to us, to silent waiting 
on God, and speaking by me. The congregation was a sub- 
stantial group, and at the close of the service a fine-looking 
old gentleman in clerical garb. Dr. J. C. C. Newton, sought 
us out and offered to help all he could, particularly with re- 
spect to the divinity school and Christian college work of the 
city. Others tendered their sympathy and help. 

The following morning, per arrangement, we attended the 
annual conference of the Congregational Churches of Japan. 
I addressed them on the Christian attitude toward peace. 



First Days in Japan. 15 

It seemed favorably received. Acquaintances formed at this 
conference promised to aid us in the development of our an- 
ticipated labor in Japan. 

On Third-day we visited the Lambuth Bible Training 
School for young women. It was a nne group of women we 
met here, pledged as they are to Christian work, and prepar- 
ing therefor in their native land. I endeavored to encour- 
age them to reliance on the operation of the Spirit of God in 
their own hearts and in the hearts of others in their future 
work. In the afternoon we attended a called meeting at 
the M. E. South College, to be held in the interests of in- 
ternational peace. But it really developed into a religious 
meeting with its solemn periods of silence accompanied by 
the ministry I offered. I often wish that Christians more 
generally knew the spiritual value of "waiting upon God." 
Many Japanese divinity students were present and a number 
of the faculty. At the close of the meeting the young Pres- 
ident of the College Y. M. C. A. informed us that he intended 
to start a peace society. 

Fourth-day noon found us in the comfortable home of 
George Gleason, whose wife had been a Friend. That eve- 
ning some 550 young men welcomed me at a meeting in the 
Y. M. C. A. at Osaka. Here the peace propaganda was not 
treated particularly from the Christian viewpoint, yet 
seemed to deeply impress the Japanese audience, which was 
largely made up of earnest non-Christians. Even in this 
somewhat indirect way can the vast kingdom of our Christ 
be extended. 

The next morning we were at the assembly of the Kobe 
College for women. It was a season in which the divine 
presence was manifested. Some 250 young Japanese women, 
mostly non-Christians, listened attentively to a gospel mes- 
sage; and two periods of "living silence" crowned the occa- 
sion and were sanctioned by God as times of acceptable 
prayer. 

That evening after tea at S. F. Gutelius' home, a meeting 
after the old-time manner of Friends was held in his parlor. 
The company was made up of missionaries. W. B. H. and I 
had words of encouragment for them during a solemn hour 



16 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

of worship and praise. The following day was consumed in 
the ride of about 375 miles back to Tokyo. 

I find that some American and English residents of Japan 
are severe on the Japanese Christians. They claim that the 
latter are not reliable, and that they will not have them in 
their employ. Here is a typical presentation of their case. 
An American gentleman connected with a large business es- 
tablishment told me that he recently met a Japanese whose 
life he knew to be unsatisfactory, and was astonished to 
behold him clad in a clerical garb. He asked the reason. 
"Well," was the reply, "times are hard, and I thought I 
might as well preach the gospel as do anything else, and the 
pay is not bad." My informant said, "You know you don't 
believe what you preach." The reply was, "Yes, that is 
so, but even if I do not believe what I say, I can get others 
to believe it." Objections to the native Christians in busi- 
ness circles may at times have some foundation ; but it must 
be remembered that the objectors may not always them- 
selves live religious lives, and may be disposed to have prej- 
udices regarding the missionaries. The latter deny adverse 
statements about their converts and the native Christians, 
and say that those who criticise them do not know whereof 
they speak. I think that there are many splendid expo- 
nents of the religion of Jesus in Japan, and that contrary 
statements are mostly incorrect. 

During this trip to Kobe we were much indebted to the 
following persons for kindness rendered, besides those men- 
tioned above: Dr. H. W. Meyers, missionary of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church South; President Y. Yoshioka of M. 
E. South College, and others. 

Tenth Month 10. 

To-day we attended the annual meeting or Synod of the 
Presbyterians of Japan, held in Tokyo. It was my privilege 
to address some 150 men, mostly ministers, on the attitude 
of the churches to the question of international peace. I 
suggested their co-operation with the churches of the United 
States in order to assist in bringing about a more kindly 
spirit between their country and my own, presenting the re- 
sponsibility of the professors of Jesus Christ, both in their 




A Little Garden in Japan. 




A Typical Japanese Temple. 



First Days in Japan. 17 

country and in my own, with respect to this question. It is 
likely that, as I suggested, they will inaugurate a movement 
among the Federated Native Churches of Japan to get closer 
to our Federal Council in America. I think good will result ; 
and the Japanese churches may thereby have their '"'^^- 
science quickened regarding a testimony on behalf of peace, 
and adverse to war. 

Tenth Month 11. 

At this (First-day) meeting in Tokyo I spoke on "For Me 
to Live Is Christ." 

Shrines and temples are everywhere in this country, and 
are resorted to by men and women hoping for at least ma- 
terial rewards as a result of prayer to the local or better- 
known gods. We went into some of the temples of Kobe, 
where the priests were very polite and showed us round. 
One temple so visited had beautiful exterior and interior 
carvings ; the floors were covered with soft mattings ; before 
an inner shrine were baskets containing offerings of fruits, 
etc., and in the rear was a pretty little garden with a foun- 
tain playing. Some men in this temple were having tea and 
politely responded with bows to our English salutations. It 
does not seem in Japan necessary to take off hats in their 
temples as is expected in most Christian places of worship. 

If we stand long enough at one of the outer shrines of 
these temples, very likely a woman will approach, kneel a 
while in silent prayer, then arise, deposit some money in a 
box, draw a paper and go away. This is shrine worship. 
The otiier day we saw a congregation of Shrintoists worship- 
ing. They sat on their heels on the floor of a really very 
pretty little temple, and chanted, somewhat like the chants 
the Indians of America engage in when dancing. At times 
the whole congregation would prostrate their foreheads to 
the ground. The exercises were terminated by a period of 
silence of several minutes' duration, after which all clapped 
their hands and arose. The services were thus ended. 

The streets of the cities of Japan are thronged with work- 
ers, toiling under burdens that could not be tolerated in 
America. Men and boys with almost superhuman effort 
pull loads many times their own weight up the hill in front 



18 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

of the mission; and as they inch by inch gain ground one 
wonders that they do not burst a blood vessel in doing so. 
The few horses in Tokyo drag as much as two or three horses 
would pull in America. The little women and many "little 
mothers" haul round the streets, on their backs, babies or 
young children which probably weigh as much as one-third 
of their own bodies. Few men or women wear western foot- 
gear. Their bare feet rest almost unrestricted on wooden 
sandels that often are supported underneath by two cross 
pieces of wood, and on this apparently unsteady foundation, 
men, women, and children walk and run through the sprin- 
kled streets. The Japanese as a race have beautiful feet. 



II. 

WITH PEACE WORKERS AND PREMIER. 

Tenth Month 14. 

Last evening a dinner was tendered W. B. H. and me at 
the Japan Club, Tokyo, on account of the address which I 
have brought from the Interdenominational Peace Commit- 
tee of Pacific Coast Churches, with the hope that it would 
tend to forward international regard and conciliation. The 
event was made the opportunity to advertise the address 
through the newspapers of Japan. Numerous men promi- 
nent in Japanese political, financial and educational matters 
were present. I felt most seriously my need of Divine guid- 
ance as I arose to address those present; and I feel that so 
far I have been favored to not harm, but help, the cause of 
my Lord in private and public labor on behalf of interna- 
tional comity and peace. May the same much-needed divine 
assistance be granted from place to place ! 

A good many of the men present were non-Christians, yet 
a number of these promised their aid to secure co-opera- 
tion of the Japanese Christian churches with the Federal 
Council of Churches in America, which scheme I suggested, 
and which I have been working on of late. Some of these 
men, with the Christians present, can do much on this line. 
They mclude Baron Sakatani, Mayor of Tokyo; Baron Shi- 
buwasa, the greatest business man of Japan ; Dr. Seyoda, ex- 
Vice-Minister of Finance ; President Nakano, of the Tokyo 
Chamber of Commerce, etc., all non-Christians, but who have 
a great respect therefor. I herewith introduce a newspaper 
report of this meeting : 

NO ANTI-JAPANESE FEELING NOW IN U. S. A. 

Representative of Pacific Coast Churches Brings Greetings 

to Japan. 

TO THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN, 

Greeting : 

The Interdenominational Peace Committee of the Pacific 
Coast Churches of the United States, representing many of 



20 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

the Christian organizations on the Pacific Coast of the Unit- 
ed States of America, desires through the person of its au- 
thorized representative, the bearer, Mr. Wm. C. Allen, a min- 
ister of religion, of San Jose, California, to send our heart- 
iest Greetings to the People of Japan. 

We are thankful for our traditional friendship and for the 
Commercial and International Ties that bind us together as 
two Nations. We rejoice to know of the prosperity of your 
great country. We pray God that His peace may rule more 
and more in your hearts and in our own. We sincerely hope 
and trust that neither you nor we shall be in the least wrong- 
ly influenced by the efforts sometimes made to sow discord 
between us. We hope that all possible may be done, by 
means of treaties of arbitration and in every other way to 
hasten the era of good-will, and peace among the nations. 

As Christians and as believers in the religion founded on 
Divine Love, we desire to do all we can to draw your country 
and ours closer together in the feelings of mutual friendship, 
sympathy and good-will, until together we may more and 
more help forward Universal Peace. 
Respectfully submitted, 

ROBERT DOLLAR, President. 
HARVEY HUGO GUY, Secretary pro tem. 

The greeting to the Japanese nation printed above was 
read at a dinner given in the Japan Club yesterday evening 
to Mr. William C. Allen, of San Jose, President of the North- 
ern California Peace Society. The dinner was promoted by 
Baron Sakatani,. Baron Shibusawa, Mr. Nakano, Dr. Soyeda, 
and others. 

Mr. Allen, who is accompanied by Mr. William B. Harvey, 
of Westtown, near Philadelphia, arrived in Japan on Septem- 
ber 22 as the Secretary and representative of the Pacific 
Coast Churches. His introductions are from Secretary of 
State Bryan, the Japanese Consul General, Mr. Y. Numano, 
at San Francisco, and Captain Robert Dollar. 

Since his arrival in Japan Mr. Allen and Mr. Harvey have 
had interviews with leading Japanese and Americans, and 
Mr. Allen has addressed the Annual Conferences of the Con- 
gregational and Presbyterian Churches of Japan. The Peace 
Committee of the Pacific Coast is a representative and in- 
fluential body, and numbers leading men of nearly all the 
churches among its active supporters. 

Mr. Allen, after reading the greeting to the people of Ja- 
pan, addressed the gathering as follows: 

It will be observed that this greeting from the Peace Com- 
mittee of the Pacific Coast Churches can not attempt to sug- 



With Peace Workers and Premier. 21 

gest any solution of the problems that grow out of the rela- 
tions of the United States and Japan. This is not the object 
of the letter. What we can do is to help to develop a spirit 
of sympathy and human brotherhood between you and our- 
selves. We honestly desire to reveal what all acknowledge 
should be the Christian attitude, and to that extent can aid 
officials. We want to assist in laying a foundation of mu- 
tual respect and love for one another. Then the details of 
international intercourse and of diplomatic and political ar- 
rangements can be more satisfactorily influenced and may 
more safely be left to take care of themselves. If the root is 
good, the fruit will also be good. 

I have no apology to make for the inconsistent attitude of 
some so-called Christians. Many of our Christian people 
sincerely regret some of the conditions that exist. I can 
state that our church leaders in America are more and more 
desiring that our international policies conform to the teach- 
ings of Jesus Christ. Our people at large are more and more 
realizing that racial prejudices, or any kind of animosities, 
damage the whole human family. I am told that the gra- 
cious spirit of kindliness and good-will in your country will 
reach across the sea and join us in the development of a sim- 
ilar spirit in America. We must aid one another. 

Do not let us accentuate the dissimilarities of the two peo- 
ples. It may not be desirable that we should all be alike. 
On the contrary, let us never fail to emphasize the very 
many .things that we hold in common. These are much more 
numerous. Let us of Japan and America always emphasize 
our common heritage of those grand ideals which make for 
the uplift of humanity and the victories of peace. Let us 
recollect that we all are the much-loved children of the Great 
Creator of the Universe. 

The decision of Japan to participate in the great exposi- 
tion at San Francisco has had a most beneficial effect upon 
the attitude of California toward Japan and is appreciated 
on our side of the Pacific Ocean. It will help us to become 
better acquainted with each other. 

Innuendos are in some quarters made as to the reality of 
our friendship for you, often accompanied by wrong or 
garbled statements. How are your newspapers thus misin- 
formed ? Where do these reports originate ? Many of these 
statements regarding the attitude of America are incorrect. 
I would like to state as my personal observation that while 
some of the newspapers in America, as in your land, at 
times persist in playing with fire, it has been a long time 
since I have read an unkindly or suspicious word about Ja- 
pan. Thus in San Francisco, near which city I reside, I 



22 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

have not for a long time seen a newspaper item containing 
one word of discourtesy toward Japan. 

When men really try to live in concord with one another 
they generally succeed. The splendid record of arbitrations 
of international disputes since the year 1800 proves this. But 
under the circumstances that I address you I naturally con- 
sider the ideal Christian viewpoint. Do not let us forget 
that the idealist always leads the world. One small Chris- 
tian denomination has for 250 years declared that war and 
its spirit is antagonistic to the spirit of the teachings of 
Jesus, and that human strife has therefore retarded human 
progress. The denomination has through all these years not 
permitted its members to take up arms. Yet historians who 
have investigated its career have admitted that by so doing- 
it has done more to conserve civilization and develop the 
holiest ideals of men, on which civilization is founded, than 
if it had fought for its principles with sword and gun. Ideals 
are stronger than force. Many other people in the other 
sects of Christianity have of recent years been adopting the 
same views. And I know that you, our friends of Japan, 
without reference to your religious faiths, will desire to join 
us in what we all recognize as a noble aspiration calculated 
to increase the happiness of men. 

In America the advocates of peace are more eagerly lis- 
tened to than ever before. Jingoism is regarded as a sign of 
weakness as we advance in material and intellectual things. 
The prophecies of the peace people that frightful financial 
and moral disaster would develop from the outbreak of war 
among civilized peoples has recently been pitifully realized. 
Arguments against war are being respectfully referred to as 
absolutely correct by statesmen and men of affairs. The 
man who stands for international repose is acknowledged as 
a benefactor of the race and as an exponent of the loftiest 
patriotism. No doubt but that a similar regard for the ad- 
vocates of international amity is also increasing in Japan. 

This greeting I bring from our committee speaks for itself 
in so far that it will show that a diversity of opinion exists 
in California and that the Christian churches in particular 
are opposed to unhappy efforts to sow discord between the 
two nations. In spite of discouraging conditions abroad, an 
increasing number within our churches desire to show that 
they want to stand by the teachings of Jesus Christ. We 
call Him the Prince of Peace. Will you not continue to help 
us toward the consummation of international tranquility ? 

Finally, do we any of us count the lust of power or money 
or vengeance as among the better things of life? Do not 
the paths of peace lead toward sound business and national 



With Peace Workers and Premier. 23 

morality and toward true national grandeur? Let us then 
try to cultivate within our own hearts the noble sentiments 
of peace. Let us destroy within our own selves the passions 
which constitute the root from which most wars spring. 
I often ask my own people to do this. I often beg of them 
as I venture to suggest to-night, that we all endeavor to live 
in that spirit of brotherliness and love which does away with 
international suspicions and prejudices. I often tell them, 
as I suggest to-night, that if we talk peace we will have 
peace. 

Mr. Allen was introduced by Mayor Baron Sakatani, who, 
as Vice-President of the Japan Peace Society, acted as toast- 
master. 

In welcoming Mr. Allen, Baron Shibusawa, Counselor of 
the Japan Peace Society, expressed the hope that the bear- 
ers of expressions of good-will from America would continue 
to exert themselves until some of the questions between the 
countries shall have been solved. Thus as words increas- 
ingly became deeds, the uneasiness which is entertained by 
people who do not fully understand the situation will be al- 
layed and the foundations of international peace will be 
strengthened. Mr. J. M. Gardiner, President, brought greet- 
ings from the American Peace Society of Japan. 

Dr. K. Kozaki, President of the Japanese Federation of 
Churches, expressed his cordial appreciation of the spirit of 
the Pacific Coast churches as expressed in the letter brought 
by Mr. Allen. Dr. J. Soyeda expressed the hope that the 
messengers from America would carry back to their coun- 
try some concrete results. This, he thought, could be real- 
ized through securing some organization to represent the 
Japanese churches in continuous co-operation with the 
Christian organization in America. This, with the co-oper- 
ation of business organizations, will be of great assistance in 
the future. 

Among those present at the dinner, besides those already 
named, were Mr. B. Nakano, Mr. S. Hayakawa (banker) , Dr. 
Clay McCauley, President K. Kamada of Keio University, 
Dr. T. Harada, President of Doshisha University of Kyoto; 
Mr. E. W. Frazer, Dr. A. Oltmans, Dr. D. B. Schneder, Pres- 
ident of the North Japan College of Sendai; Mr. S. Satake, 
M. P. ; Mr. Z. Horikoshi, Mr. Gilbert Bowles, and Mr. S. Ne- 
moto, M. P. 

The above reported dinner and meeting was prayerfully 
entered into by me with the feeling that it was part of my 
work in Japan. Our Divine Master has many ways of hav- 
ing His work accomplished, and the old admonition to sow by 



24 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

all waters ever holds good. My retrospect of this function 
is satisfactory. Care was exercised by our courteous hosts 
to not infringe on our simple Friendly ways ; and the oppor- 
tunity was given to extend the better Christian desires 
throughout Japan as no other method could. The address, 
and my speech, I understand, has by medium of the news-, 
papers, been spread through the empire. 

Tenth Month 15. 

This afternoon, accompanied by Gilbert Bowles, my 
friend W. B. H. and I called on the Prime Minister of Japan, 
Count Okuma. He prolonged the audience for one hour. 
His features are thoroughly Japanese, and in repose his 
mouth is one great curve shut like a vise. But in conversa- 
tion his face is luminous and with a great play of expres- 
sion, whilst his eyes fairly twinkle with joy. He is exceed- 
ingly animated, gesticulating freely in conversation, more 
so than any twenty Japanese combined that I have yet met. 

Immediately after I had presented an original copy of the 
address of the Peace Committee of Pacific Coast Churches, 
and he had expressed his gratification at getting such a com- 
munication from Christians, he introduced the subject of the 
present war with Germany, saying that it had been forced 
upon Japan against his personal will, and that of his country, 
but had to be entered into owing to the treaty between Eng- 
land and Japan. He profoundly deplored the terrible situ- 
ation, with most of the civilized nations of the world in con- 
flict, but hoped that it would be followed by international 
quiet, just as a calm succeeds a typhoon. 

When I read him the message of love from all with whom 
I came into contact, which is contained in the credentials 
from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, he expressed 
his appreciation by bowing his head and politely exclaiming 
that the Friends were the most satisfactory of all Chris- 
tians, or words to that effect. This was followed by a long 
and remarkable deliverance regarding America. He said 
that America had been founded on a religious basis by the 
Puritans and Friends and others who loved God, and these 
men had had the highest ideals. No country had ever been 
so created. The successors of the fathers of the nation had 




A Little Garden in Japan. 




A Typical Japanese Temple. 



With Peace Workers and Premier. 25 

to a good degree lived up to the law of righteousness. The 
national conscience had ever been sincere and great. He 
believed that the Christian influence still permeated Amer- 
ica and directed her course. This was exemplified in the 
fact that recently the rulers of the warring nations of Eu- 
rope had written to President Wilson with reference to their 
desire to appear in the right as to their conduct of that war. 
Finally, he considered that President Wilson embodied in his 
personality the righteousness which exalts a nation and was 
the living exponent of the Christian traditions which had 
made our country great. 

When I spoke to him about the failure of great armaments 
to protect international peace, he vigorously assented, and 
sent for a copy of a Japanese magazine containing an article 
recently written by him on the subject. He expressed the 
hope that the present war will result in the breakdown of 
militarism and the enlargement of human liberty. 

I was impressed with the feeling that we had been in 
the presence of an old man, who really loved his fellow-men, 
and who, whilst not a Christian in name, knew and endeav- 
ored to follow the law of God written in his own heart, whilst 
inconsistently compelled to acquiesce to the conditions asso- 
ciated with his political eminence in his own country and in 
the world. 

The day after the dinner at which the address was issued 
to the press, the Emperor sent for a copy of it. I fortunate- 
ly had provided myself with three original signed copies be- 
fore leaving San Francisco, so both the Emperor and Prime 
Minister now have received them. 

Tenth Month 16. 

To-day was very busy getting off reports to the Federal 
Council of the Churches of Christ in America, etc. This 
morning I addressed a large Bible class at Keio University 
on Christianity and business; and in the evening spoke to 
about thirty-three young men gathered in the parlor of Gil- 
bert Bowles. 

Bishop McKim, of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Ja- 
pan, called, and I laid before him the need of church action 
with respect to the continuance of friendship between the 



26 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

United States and Japan. I told him of the necessity of pro- 
tests from the American churches regarding racial preju- 
dice and militarism if the missionary efforts of the churches 
in non-Christian lands are to be developed. He has a big 
and generous heart. He listened carefully, and said that 
next week the mission conference of Japan of their denomi- 
nation would meet, and that he would prepare resolutions 
and bring the matter before the conference, looking toward 
co-operation between themselves and the churches in our 
country. I am happy to think that now three annual assem- 
blies of Christian bodies in Japan are started on this work 
in connection with this visit to Japan. 

Tenth Month 17. 

Calling, getting ready for the anticipated trip into China, 
and a meeting with an English-speaking Society, at which I 
spoke on American-Japanese relations, occupied to-day. 

Tenth Month 18. 

I was silent in the morning (First-day) meeting. W. B. 
H. was favored in delivering a message to the people. 

I spoke at the Bible class afterward, according to arrange- 
ment, on "Worship." 

The Friends' Meeting for Worship in Tokyo introduces 
some novel ways to foreigners. Thus if a man in the meet- 
ing desires to speak he often walks to the front, bows first 
to those on the platform, then to the congregation, which 
bows in return, and then he proceeds to deliver his message. 
At the conclusion the bows all round are repeated. Two ap- 
parently helpful messages from the congregation were deliv- 
ered to-day. The Japanese are in many ways most punctil- 
ious and ceremonious. 

A quiet and restful little meeting for worship was also 
held in the afternoon at the home of the teachers connected 
with the Mission. 

Tenth Month 19. 

This morning we went to the Meiji Gaku-in, or Presbyte- 
rian College. Two meetings were held; first with about 
twenty-seven theological students, and afterward with 250 
or over young men. In both of these meetings I had to 



With Peace Workers and Premier. 27 

preach the gospel of love and forgiveness as taught by the 
written words of the New Testament and the inward law of 
God in our own hearts. The need of Christian workers be- 
ing separated unto Christ was emphasized in the opportuni- 
ty with the divinity class, and it was a solemn season. 

The faculties at the numerous educational institutions we 
have visited have been most kind in their expressions of 
sympathy with the exception of one very dour young man, 
who, I fear, is somewhat of a stranger to the sweetness there 
is in Christ and to the possibilities of joy in Him. 

Tenth Month 20. 

I have been disappointed to-day in not getting out, but for- 
tunately only semi-working engagements and one social en- 
gagement were interfered with. The enforced rest may be 
useful in many respects — not the least spiritually. Oh! I 
need power, power, power from the one Infinite Source of 
spiritual activitj^ if I am to be able to preach the unsearch- 
able riches of Christ ! 

Tenth Month 21. 

This morning we met Drs. Haven and North, representing 
the Federal Council, and a few other men at breakfast at the 
Imperial Hotel, in conference, as to what may be done to help 
solve the problems that create irritation between our coun- 
try and Japan. It was a most interesting occasion and 
some helpful conclusions were arrived at. Eleven men were 
present. 

Afterward, in Yokohama, W. B. H. and I met two very dif- 
ferent men, but both imbued with the spirit of our Master. 
Dr. John Bearing is young and full of energy — Dr. Henry 
Loomis is one of the oldest missionaries in Japan and pos- 
sesses a rare charm of gentleness and love. He told me 
about Asa Hirooka, a woman who in various departments of 
business life had been extraordinarily successful, and who 
all the time had been a devout Buddhist. She finally re- 
solved to study the Bible and decided on the existence of a 
God. She could not, however, for a long time feel any sense 
of sin or of the need of a Savior. Yet in this attitude of 
mind she would go into the woods and pray that if there was 



28 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

a Savior He might be revealed to her. Finally the connec- 
tion was fastened in her mind, that Jesus Christ was her 
salvation and hope. She lived a new life after this conver- 
sion; gave up her large business interests, and spends her 
strength in going among her own people and, in largely at- 
tended meetings, telling of her conversion and preaching 
Christ. She will stand on the platform and say, "What I 
tell you is real; this is my individual experience; I feel and 
know within me that Jesus Christ is my Savior." 



III. 

THE MITO TRIP. 

Tenth Month 23. 

On the 22nd inst. our party went to Nikko, and enjoyed a 
vacation there until the morning of the 24th inst. Our day 
of rest was passed in rickshaw rides up the lovely valley and 
under the cryptomeria trees. The temples and tombs at 
Nikko are very interesting. The former exhibit rare beauty 
and marvelous lacquer work. We went through one of these 
temples with throngs of tourists who, as non-Christians, 
would stop before the various shrines, prostrate themselves 
and throw coin into the sacred enclosure, whilst priests 
stood by and harangued them. Thousands of college men 
and schoolboys were visiting Nikko and its temples this day, 
it being a holiday. 

Tenth Month 24. 

On the 24th we proceeded to Shimodate and in the house 
of T. Mishima held a meeting. But few were present. 

Tenth Month 25. 

The following being First-day we attended two meetings 
in Mito, having reached the hospitable home of Gurney and 
Elizabeth Binford the evening before. I spoke in both meet- 
ings. Because of the foreigners present the morning period 
of worship was longer than usual. 

Tenth Month 27. 

The 27th inst. found us at Ishioka, where good Christian 
work is accomplished by the local evangelist, C. Suzuki. 

This Friend was most attractive to us. As his children 
were born he based the naming of them on the text: "The 
Kingdom, the Power and the Glory." Thus, one child, a boy, 
was given the Japanese name for "Peace — Kingdom"; the 
second, a girl, "Glory," and the third, a boy, was called 



30 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

"Power" in Japanese. As other children came he com- 
menced another text: "I am the Way, the Truth and the 
Life." Thus the Japanese name for "Way" was apphed to 
a girl, and that of "Truth" to a boy. A sixth child, a boy, 
appeared and was given a name which means "to work with 
zeal." 

Our friend Suzaki had a goodly company gathered in his 
home, and the occasion was a particularly favored one. Our 
Heavenly Father was in our midst. I find that as the people 
are acquainted with the Friendly habit of spending part of 
the hour of worship in silent waiting upon God, just about 
in proportion seems there to be solidity of deportment and 
a uniting sense of the divine presence and love. I notice in 
many places that the Japanese temperament seems to pecu- 
liarly accommodate itself to silent devotion. 

Tenth Month 28. 

On the 28th we went by rickshaws some ten miles distant 
to Minato. It was a pleasant drive there, and back through 
typical Japanese rural scenes. The processes of rice harvest 
were all before us, the cutting, the hanging up on bamboo 
fences of the sheaves to dry, the separation of the grain from 
the straw, the use of the flail on the threshing floors, and 
the hauling from place to place of the heavy sheaves. We 
saw that everything was done by hand with the most prim- 
itive implements. Old people and young girls, with others, 
staggered under loads fit for a horse in our blessed land. 
Countless women, often with naked limbs, spend day by 
day working in the paddy fields in mud and water a foot or 
more deep. Added to this are the sometimes unpleasant 
habits of the poor that violate the ideas of modesty cherished 
in Western countries. Crossing the river in a sam-pan, rick- 
shaws and all, was a novel experience. Our rickshaw men 
trotted the whole ten miles to Minato, and the ten miles 
back, in about one and a half hours each way, and charged 
us 60 cents American money for their toil. 

Everywhere I go I see that Japan needs Christ. He is, as 
everywhere else, in proportion as we really accept and obey 
Him, the only cure for poverty and sin. 




Two Little Friends of Tsuchiura Congregation. 




"Going To Meeting." 



The Mito Trip. 31 

The meeting- in the house of the local evangelist at Minato 
was not encouraging to me, owing to the great unsettlement 
that prevailed, all being late and a few leaving when we were 
about half through. I was greatly distressed, but tried to 
keep my mind centered on the object of our gathering and 
to deliver a message that in spite of difficulties seemed to 
arise with spiritual life in my own mind. The meeting con- 
cluded with prayer. Possibly some good was accomplished 
which 1 will never know about. I am told that there is a 
solid group of Christians at this place, among them the post- 
master and the town printer, and that their devotions are 
generally favored as much as elsewhere. 

Tenth Month 29. 

Our intercourse with the Binfords at Mito has been very 
enjoyable and they have imparted much information with 
respect to mission work and other conditions in Japan. This 
morning we left Mito for Tokyo, stopping en route at Tsuch- 
iura. This meeting was so typical of others we have held at 
mission stations that I will venture a little account of it. 

A few of the Friends met us at the railway station. All 
by dress and manner showed a superior condition to the 
non-Christian people about them. We went to the home of 
the local evangelist, Mansaku Nakamura, and removed our 
shoes, put on our house slippers, and soon participated in the 
noon-meal. Most of this we to-day had brought for our- 
selves, as the native seaweed soup and raw fish or other 
strange diet has not always proved satisfying. Then the 
people commenced to gather. As we were introduced to 
them they would, on hands and knees, bow their faces to the 
floor. This at our initial experience in Japan, seemed to us 
very subservient, but really means no more than handshak- 
ing does to us. All sat around on the soft floor matting, my 
Elizabeth alone enjoying a chair. I can not sit on my heels, 
so sit "Turk fashion." W. B. H. sits all sorts of ways. 
Finally an opening hymn was sung, followed by reverent 
waiting upon God. Then I spoke and the wife of our Jap- 
anese host interpreted most fluently for me. The evangel- 
ist said a few words, not interpreted to the four foreigners 
present, then I offered prayer, and after a season of reverent 



32 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

silence a concluding hymn was sung. The congregation was 
of the helpful sort to-day. Among the members of Friends 
present was the local agent of the Standard Oil Company, a 
sugar merchant, and banker, and other well-known citizens 
of Tsuchiura. Two dear little children, a boy aged four 
years, and a girl two and a half years, sat during the meet- 
ing with a charming dignity and quietness. These little 
fantastically dressed children would have done credit to our 
solid old Quaker meeting at "Fourth and Arch." 

Mansaku Nakamura, the minister, is a young man who a 
few years ago was on his last year of college course of civil 
engineering in Tokyo. One evening a few years ago he came 
with a companion to the Friends' Mission in Tokyo so full of 
hatred of the Christians as to determine to break up the 
meeting then in progress. The hymn being sung as he en- 
tered wonderfully affected him and he left the meeting re- 
solved to investigate the new faith. He before long gave 
proof of his conversion and felt he must preach the gospel. 
According to the custom of the country he called his family 
and relations together and told them that his anticipated life 
work for which he had been preparing, and for which they 
had been paying, must be surrendered. They were bitter in 
their denunciation, but he stood firm. A few days later he 
met an uncle who said to him : "We all were opposed to you 
the other day, but I have since then decided that you can do 
as you feel you must. What is more, the family has had 
another meeting and agree to let you becomxe a Christian and 
preach the Gospel." Thus, after these bitter trials, a clear 
way was made for him, and, as M. P. Bowles told us, from 
that day to this Mansaku Nakamura "has not made one false 
step" in his Christian life. 



IV. 

AROUND TOKYO AND YOKOHAMA. 

Tenth Month .30. 

About 800 young men and boys met us at the Rikkyo 
Gakuin, or St. Paul's College of the Episcopal Church, this 
morning, where we were warmly welcomed by the President, 
Dr. C. S. Reifanider and the Principal, Dr. Motoda. The 
audience included pupils from the "middle school" and also 
theological students. W. B. H. first gave a little address on 
Westtown, and I spoke on "International Peace." It is a 
privilege to plead on behalf of the higher ideals from the 
Christian, economic or moral viewpoint, to so many young 
people who will be likely to help mould the thought of the 
nation. 

Eleventh Month 1. 

First-day. Attended the large union service for American 
Christians in Tokyo. I spoke from the text: "I will never 
leave thee nor forsake thee." A large part of the service 
was conducted as a Friends' meeting, with periods of rev- 
erent waiting upon God, and two other ministers of other 
denominations participated in it to our great comfort and 
satisfaction. 

Eleventh Month 2. 

Not long ago we heard that a certain president of a well- 
known school of Japan had stated to his 1000 students that 
war with the United States was inevitable, and asked them 
to prepare for it. I felt I would like to talk with him, and 
W. B. H. and Gilbert Bowles concurring, arrangements were 
made to see him. We found his antagonism to our country 
was largely based on the fact that, whilst during a recent 
visit to America he had personally received the utmost cour- 
tesy everywhere, he had met with his own countrymen, who 
complained of what they felt had been insults to them be- 



34 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

cause of their nationality. Thus in San Francisco a Jap- 
anese man's silk hat had blown off his head, and a workman 
who picked it up had treated it with ridicule. I laughed and 
made the president laugh as I explained how silk hats are an 
object of scorn on anybody's head in the minds of our rough- 
er element on the Pacific Coast. He complained that his 
compatriots had told him that all over America they were 
not waited on until the last in the stores, and that in the 
street cars other people would slip into vacant seats just be- 
fore them, all things indicating unfair treatment because of 
their racial appearance. I replied that our Japanese friends 
were too sensitive, that frequently since being in Tokyo 
young men had pushed into seats in the tram-cars right be- 
fore me in spite of my mature years, but I had never once 
felt insulted or that it was so intended because of my being 
of a different race. On the contrary, I had simply recog- 
nized that in Tokyo as in America the ruder classes look out 
for themselves. He was evidently sincerely affected by my 
remarks, which were reinforced by W. B. H.'s testimony 
that that very morning he had had a similar experience. The 
good president, a most cultured man, repeatedly expressed 
his regret. We talked over a good many things, I pointing 
the need that nothing be done or said to excite irritation 
between the two countries, and that so doing would only ac- 
centuate and never solve the problems of race between us. 
He agreed to this. I also showed him that the efforts on the 
part of the many friends of the Japanese in America to help 
them would be thwarted and these American friends them- 
selves alienated by a lack of consideration or forbearance on 
the part of the Japanese in their own country. We must 
have mutual sympathy for each other. At the close of the 
conversation this most delightful gentleman, who had once 
seemed to be bitter toward the American people, asked me to 
address his school, and a special assembly is called for it. 
He has seemed wonderfully won over, and now I pray that I 
may be divinely helped to carefully speak to this important 
body of students in the hour allotted for the purpose. 



Around Tokyo and Yokohama. 35 

Eleventh Month 3. 

A luncheon was given us in Yokohama yesterday. I pray- 
erfully considered that the opportunity presented to address 
such an influential body of merchants and bankers in one of 
the great world ports should not be ignored. Many of the 
men present were non-Christians, but some of these bowed 
their heads reverently when I referred to the power of the 
religion of our Lord. As a result of this occasion, new offers 
of opportunities for public service were presented, but I am 
compelled to decline new engagements. I see clearly that 
I must consider myself released from the locality of Tokyo 
on the tenth of this month. Here is the newspaper account : 

Under the auspices of the Yokohama branch of the Japan 
Peace Society a tiffin was given at the Bankers' Club yester- 
day noon in honor of Mr. Wm. C. Allen, President of the 
Northern California Peace Society, who is now visiting Ja- 
pan. Since his arrival in Japan at the latter part of last 
month, Mr. Allen, who is acconipanied by Mr. William B. 
Harvey, has had frequent interviews with the leading Jap- 
anese and American residents. 

In his capacity as the Secretary and representative of the 
Pacific Coast Churches of the United States, Mr. Allen, 
through the interpretation of Mr. Nomura, addressed the 
gathering as follows: 

As you know, I bring to Japan an address from the Peace 
Committee of the Christian churches of the Pacific Coast, 
signed by Captain Robert Dollar, who is doubtless known to 
many of you. * * * This address can at least explain 
our feelings toward the people of Japan which the latter cer- 
tainly appreciate. 

The attitude of our President toward international comity 
and friendship is well known and should be a guarantee to 
all other nations of the sincere desire of our administration 
to pursue an honorable course in international relations. 
Many of us feel that Christianity has been the foundation 
of the prosperity of America, and it has been a source of 
happiness to me to observe that the missionaries coming to 
your country from ours are appreciated as bringing with 
them the ideals which may be a blessing to your land as well 
as to ours. 

The peace propaganda in America offers many strong 
pledges of good-will and friendship between your country 
and my own. Possibly some of you little know how much 
time is devoted by our leading men to the furtherance of 



36 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

international good-will. Among the many agencies devoted 
to this service may be mentioned the following organiza- 
tions, and officered by leading business men, bankers, or edu- 
cators : 

The Japan Society, the American-Scandinavian Society, 
The Pan-American Society, the German-American Society, 
The Grange, representing 1,000,000 farmers ; The Inter-Par- 
liamentary Union, associated with the leading Parliamen- 
tarians of other nations. There are hundreds of peace so- 
cieties. Besides, our leading bankers, lawyers, merchants, 
educators, etc., are interested in this great movement. Some 
of these men count it a privilege to travel hundreds of miles 
to deliver an address on this leading world question. 

At the annual congress of the Association of Chambers 
of Commerce of the United Kingdom held in 1913, Sir Alger- 
non F. Firth, its President, in his opening speech, referred to 
the increasing and appalling expenditure on armaments. He 
said: "At the present rate of increase, Europe in ten years 
would be spending on armaments annually a sum sufficient 
to replace the mercantile marine of the world." He called 
attention to "this handicap upon the world's industry." He 
asked the greatest business body of the world that they, 
"with no uncertain voice call upon statesmen to get together 
and devise a better scheme." 

Some of us of America particularly ask your sympathy 
and co-operation with us. The leading men of Yokohama 
have much at stake in connection with the maintenance of 
international peace. The system of war is admittedly false 
to humanity. History reveals that it does not permanently 
settle quarrels. It only breeds succeeding wars; it can not 
be depended upon as a means of deciding the equities of in- 
ternational disputes; whereas, an International Court of 
Justice has proved its value in this respect. War represents 
only the power of brute force. Banking, commerce and edu- 
cation, on the other hand, exalt the power of the intellect. 
War represents the ideals of the past. Your great profes- 
sion of banking is associated with the ideals of the future. 
May I not appeal to you to assist some of us in America to 
replace the antique system of war with the saner methods of 
international arbitration or judicial procedure? 

The possibilities connected with the determination of busi- 
ness men to protect their own and national interests from 
the damage done by militarism, and by doing all they can to 
assist a spirit of international co-operation, are very great. 

Business men of all others should be interested in the 
organized peace work. You have some active peace socie- 



Around Tokyo and Yokohama. 37 

ties organized in Japan, officered by some of your best men. 
They take the broad view of patriotism which looks to the 
conserving of the moral and material interests of national 
life as against the waste and deterioration resulting from 
lapses in international friendship. I appeal to you to do all 
you can to support these organizations in the success of 
which you must admit your own financial interest is in- 
volved. 



It has been a source of regret to me since reaching Japan 
to find prevalent at the present time in a few of your news- 
papers just what we in America have to contend with at 
other times. I refer to the spirit of jingoism. I have read 
numerous reports about contemplated action on the part of 
the United States which might be adverse to Japan, and 
while every one of these reports have been proved to be 
false, they continue to do their unhappy work and may 
estrange some of your people from a spirit of friendship 
which they have for America and which we, on our part, 
most certainly feel toward Japan, Can you not invoke the 
support of your better newspapers in stopping this unhappy 
work? Such loose talk is full of danger. I appeal to you 
to take active measures to bring your influence to bear where 
necessary, in order to neutralize the jingoistic spirit. 

In responding to Mr. Allen, Mr. Otani, President of the 
Yokohama Chamber of Commerce, expressed his sincere wel- 
come of the visit of Messrs. Allen and Harvey. He stated 
that such a question as the conflict which is feared in some 
quarters of this country and also in the United States is a 
faint dream of the fool, which is scarcely worth the consid- 
eration of those of common sense. 

The war between Japan and the United States is an abso- 
lute impossibility, in view of geographical and historical 
points. But things of triflying nature are often liable to 
cause the origin of matters of gravity. Consequently, it is, 
as expressed by Mr. Allen, sincerely hoped that all members 
of the society in co-operation of those of business circles, 
banking enterprises and industrial bodies, try to exert them- 
selves toward the promotion of peace between this country 
and America. 

Among those present yesterday in addition to those above 
mentioned were Mayor Mr. Ando, Mr. Inouye, director of the 
Yokohama Specie Bank; Judge Sato Hakuai, Mr. H, Idzuka, 
of the Tokyo Risen Kaisha ; Rev. I. Mori, Dr. J. L. Bearing, 
Mr. Gilbert Bowles, Dr. Clay McCauley, the Rev. H. Loomis, 



38 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

Mr. M. Kobayashi, Secretary of the Yokohama branch of 
the Japan Peace Society, and others. 

Eleventh Month 5. 

This morning W. B. H. and I went to the Aoyama Gakuin 
(M. E. College), where at the assembly I had a full oppor- 
tunity to speak to about 450 students. The subject of ideals 
was presented, and an earnest appeal made to follow the 
great idealist, our Savior, who leads His people into peace of 
heart and home and national happiness. 

Another meeting was held with the theological students, 
some thirty in number, and the faculty of that department. 
I am sure that the graciousness of heavenly love rested upon 
us. 

Eleventh Month 7. 

About 800 students, and the faculty, of the middle high 
school of Tokyo, greeted us to-day. The young people and 
others were intensely interested, often laughed and applaud- 
ed as I piled up arguments in favor of international concord, 
and against war. I also referred to conditions in California, 
showing the reasonable objections raised by some of our cit- 
izens against some of their countrymen. It required prayer- 
ful caution, lest I say something that would hurt the feel- 
ings of anyone present. The president and others seemed 
highly pleased, he remarking more than once : 'Tt was a fine 
speech, a very fine speech." So I am glad. This school is 
considered the finest of its kind in the Empire, as into it by 
process of elimination are entered the most promising youth 
of the country. 

I go from high school to college, Christian or non-Chris- 
tian, and in them all see the young men engaged in military 
training. The Christian college people say they are obliged 
to do this, as without it they would not obtain governmental 
recognition. Truly many difficulties have seemed in my 
pathway, but they have all vanished as I have proceeded. 

I have had much fun over my coat-tails in Japan. I left 
America with a black business suit, which I hoped would 
answer for all occasions, but, on reaching the land of Orien- 
tal-occidental etiquette, found that a tail-less coat would not 



Around Tokyo and Yokohama. 39 

be suitable for public addresses, dinners or even morning- 
calls on prominent men. So a coat with tails was added to 
my equipment. Our guide, philosopher and friend, Gilbert 
Bowles, keeps me posted as to what good form in Japan 
requires day by day. Thus I will say in the morning, "Well, 
Gilbert, is it tails or no tails this morning?" If he says 
"tails," on goes the otherwise avoided coat. 



V. 

LAST DAYS IN JAPAN. 

Eleventh Month 8. 

There are many traits in the Japanese character which we 
can admire. For instance, at a hotel in Kobe, we met with 
some German refugees from Vladivostock, who fled to Japan 
as a result of the war in Europe. Although Japan is also at 
war with Germany, these refugees in Japan are perfectly 
safe, and treated with the utmost respect. They have per- 
sonal freedom so long as they strictly act the part of non- 
combatants. On the other hand, Japanese civilization is 
very different from ours. It offers a moderate extension of 
public utilities, and has a strong army and navy in so far as 
these indicate "civilization." But the crowded manner of 
living, the, to us, often disagreeable habits of the poorer 
people, the prevalence of skin diseases, etc., all make one feel 
that this admirable race has yet much to attain in the com- 
ing years. Yet they keep their persons and houses scrupu- 
lously clean. 

In considering the desire of some Japanese to have full 
access to America — most of them, I believe, do not care for 
that — it must be remembered that their Government is said 
to have returned to Korea and China some years ago a few 
shiploads of Coolies whose possible entrance into Japan 
threatened to cheapen labor in the latter country. At a 
large meeting held at Kobe in the year 1912 to protest 
against the anti-Japanese legislation in California, which 
was adverse to Japanese residents of that State, I am in- 
formed that Dr. Myers in an address reminded his hearers 
that they were in essence protesting against the same sort 
of action as they had themselves exercised toward Asiatics 
a few years before. The large audience took its "medicine," 
saw the point, and laughed whilst cheering the speaker. 



Last Days in Japan. 41 

First-day : At the mission meet this morning, in which I 
preached from the text: "The Gospel of the Kingdom," en- 
larging upon the spiritual nature of the Kingdom of our 
Lord and the terms upon which it is to be entered and en- 
joyed. Was on my feet almost one hour — quite long! 

In the afternoon at the Y. M. C. A. we met with a group 
of serious men, to whom I spoke from the text: "This is 
life eternal, to know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus 
Christ, whom Thou hast sent." It was a solemn meeting 
and conducted after the simple manner of Friends — no sing- 
ing — again showing that the Japanese temperament can 
well adapt itself to silent worship if encouraged thereto. I 
frequently hear that this is the case. 

The Japanese during their war with Russia were the first 
to recognize the possibilities of sanitation in connection with 
army life. In that campaign, lasting almost two years, only 
about 30 per cent, of their losses were from disease and 70 
per cent, in battle. This comparison is all the more strik- 
ing when we recall that the normal mortality in war has been 
80 per cent, from disease and 20 per cent, from battle "cas- 
ualties," Yet at army matters their sanitary success seems 
to stop. Their cities have no sewer system. Foul and of- 
fensive smells everywhere greet the visitor in Tokyo and 
other great communities. Carts dragged by many men and 
boys and loaded with sewage, and polluting the air, are 
encountered at every turn. No doubt this antique condition 
is the result of lack of funds which has developed from their 
public expenditure largely going into national defense. 

Eleventh Month 9. 

Oh, the horrors of packing and re-packing! To-day has 
been employed in making financial and traveling arrange- 
ments in Yokohama and in segregating our effects. Some 
go to Hongkong, whilst winter goods and other daily essen- 
tials we take with us into Korea and China. 

The Japanese language is full of superlatives. Thus the 
use of the word "honorable" seems very funny. "0-yu" is 
"honorable hot water." I often want it — certainly it is not 
to be despised. A certain vegetable much used throughout 
the empire, and somewhat like our cabbage, is, I am told. 



42 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

called only by the name "the honorable leaves." The street 
car conductors do not just say "please move up front." They 
call out, "Please exert your honorable human strength by 
stepping to the front." 

T have made considerable inquiry from missionaries and 
non-Christians as to how the European war is affecting the 
non-Christian population's attitude toward Christianity. 
The missionaries tell me that many of the Japanese say 
nothing, or little, about it, but that reticence may indicate 
much thinking on their part. So I find it. Most of the mis- 
sionaries express the hope that their work will not be hurt 
by the terrible inconsistency of so-called Christian nations 
being involved in this hideous struggle. One thing I do ob- 
serve: the Japanese are highly gratified to become partici- 
pants in a war with Christian nations as allies. Dr. Nitobe 
the other day overheard some Japanese conversing about the 
war and Christians. Said one to the other: "They say we 
have no religion, but theirs is only a veneer. Look how 
when their passions are aroused their religion fails to re- 
strain them. See how in this war they behave worse than 
we do." 

Eleventh Month 12. ' 

I was able to make three appointments to-day. We went 
to the 7:45 a. m. assembly at Doshisha University in Kyoto, 
where I spoke to 670 students from the text, "Whatsoever 
a man soweth, that shall he also reap." It was a solemn 
message, and so felt, I believe. 

At 2 p. m. we met the 80 theological students of the same 
institution, and a few religious workers from the city. This 
was a peace meeting, in which I endeavored to quicken the 
sense of responsibility of these young Christians with re- 
spect to international peace, also presenting many facts re- 
garding the general and local California situation. They 
were very much interested. W. B. H. also spoke a few 
words of encouragement which made a helpful close to the 
meeting. 

The last dinner given to us in Japan, in recognition of my 
being President of the Northern Californian Peace Society, 
and the bearer of a letter from the Peace Committee of 




Village Scene Near Kyoto. 




In Zoological Garden of Kyoto. 



Last Days in Japan. 43 

Churches, was participated in by us in the evening. It con- 
cluded a hard day's work. We had a free discussion about 
international matters, and as to what might be done to mit- 
igate any tension between Japan and America. The dinner 
was given in the handsome new Chamber of Commerce 
building. This city of Kyoto, with its 423,000 people, has 
many wealthy merchants. At the conclusion of this oppor- 
tunity, in a short formal speech, the President of the Cham- 
ber of Commerce said that when we consider the present 
war in Europe, our visit to Japan at such a time might be 
considered like a plum blossom in the snow; and he inti- 
mated that although such was the case, the blossom would 
bear fruit after the chill had vanished. May his gracious 
expression be realized! 

I may here bear witness to the cleverness, courtesy and 
mental discipline manifested in the educated men of Japan 
whom it has been my privilege to meet on this trip. 

Eleventh Month 13. 

We were again at Doshisha University before 8 a. m. to- 
day to have a meeting with the girls' department. As the 
service was given into our hands I asked the head of the de- 
partment if we could have it on the basis of a Friends' meet- 
ing. She gladly assented, saying that they never had such 
a service before, and how glad she was to have such an op- 
portunity with the 200 students present. It was a good 
meeting. I spoke from the first few verses of the 16th chap- 
ter of the Gospel of Mark, and the silences before and after 
were as profound and reverent as I ever witnessed. 

We took tiffin with this excellent woman. Part of the day 
was devoted to the much-needed change of sight-seeing and 
a little shopping. Some gardens we visited were the first 
beautiful ones we had seen in Japan, and my trusty camera 
was brought into frequent requisition. 

Whilst speaking of Doshisha University, I must not for- 
get how Dr. Harada, its able President, has assisted us. He 
is one of the great men of Japan to whom I was favored to 
have introductions from mutual friends in America. One 
was from a leading business man of San Francisco who 
years ago had been the means of saving the life of Dr. 



44 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

Harada in a shipwreck off the coast of Japan, and a warm 
friendship has been maintained between these two men ever 
since. Doshisha University is the largest Christian educa- 
tional institution in Japan, and has over 1300 students. 

Many young men met us at the Y. M. C. A. meeting 
in the evening. W. B. H. first spoke, particularly emphasiz- 
ing the fruits of Christianity as revealed in the beautiful 
building we met in, which was the gift of a Philadelphia 
Christian merchant, John Wanamaker. I spoke on "Why I 
Am a Christian," giving some of the leading reasons that 
appeal both to the intellect and heart for belief in the Lord 
Jesus Christ as the real Son of God and Savior of the world. 
About 85 per cent, of those present were non-Christians. 
They leaned forward in their chairs, with intense expres- 
sions, anxious to grasp every word regarding a subject that 
they evidently felt was of vital interest to them. We con- 
cluded with a time of deep, silent prayer. 

Eleventh Month 14. 

The morning was devoted to a drive to one of the Emper- 
or's gardens (Shu Gakum) near Kyoto. Our party was so 
fortunate as to meet a Princess of the royal family to whom 
we had been introduced the day before, so that some special 
privileges were granted us. I did not participate in all the 
walking required, so whilst the others wandered through the 
grounds I sat with thankful heart enjoying the communion 
with nature and God that the quiet and beautiful scene af- 
forded. 

To Kobe, Imperial Hotel, in the p. m. 

Eleventh Month 16. 

As we part from picturesque Japan and her courteous peo- 
ple, many recollections of what I have seen and heard crowd 
to my view. These have in larger or smaller degree a 
bearing on international relations. Here I refer to a sub- 
ject that is a simple matter, on the face of it, yet one that 
contributes its share toward the maintenance of good feel- 
ing between that country and America. Tourists sometimes 
go through the empire or stop at its ports with exaggerated 
ideas of the low cost of everything. They have been known 



Last Days in Japan. 45 

to hire rickshaws for most of the day and then offer only a 
few, ten or twenty sen (5 or 10 cents), for the service ren- 
dered, whereas the regular price in such cities would be 
twenty or thirty sen an hour. Bad feeling can not fail to 
result from such conduct. In many Japanese shops (except 
second-hand shops) the one-price system prevails except 
when a special offer is made for the purchase of several 
articles together. Yet tourists have too often been known 
to pick up the goods desired, lay down the money they 
thought might be fair, and make off. The store-keepers 
protest, but are too good mannered to place their "custo- 
mers" under arrest. Anything that Christians can do to 
call attention to the avoidance of such acts of injustice will 
assist in promoting a feeling of friendliness between the 
Japanese and English-speaking peoples. 

Japanese thought regarding Christianity will have much 
influence on our international relations with that country. 
As I write elsewhere, our holy faith incurs their tremendous 
criticism as a result of its assumed association with the 
spirit of war. The Japanese mind fully grasps the incon- 
sistency of war with the profession of Christ, and this fact, 
combined with the burdens of militarism and excessive tax- 
ation resulting therefrom in their own land, will fully pre- 
pare them to welcome declarations from the churches of 
America or elsewhere that are adverse to militarism. The 
sum of my investigations in Japan lead to the belief that 
the churches of America have everything to gain by faith- 
fully continuing their recently adopted policy of publicly 
testifying against war or preparation for it. 

Eleventh Month 16. 

This day we left Japan by steamship from Shimonoseki. 
Our eight weeks in Japan have been full of work and inter- 
est. The manifestation of the presence of the Spirit of God 
has been present in many of our meetings. From city to 
city prominent men of affairs and church people have de- 
clared their satisfaction with our visit and their feeling 
that the peace propaganda particularly was most opportune. 
Numerous leading newspapers have favorably and civily 
commented on the fact that the Christian churches have 



46 A Quaker Diary in the Orient, 

taken up the subject of internationalism and peace. I be- 
lieve I have been preserved from making mistakes at a time 
when much delicacy of expression in a trying condition of 
animosity toward my own country was extremely, necessary. 
My prayers have been realized, and for all this 1 thank God. 
That gentle and strong man, Gilbert Bowles, has helped me 
much. 

The supersensitiveness of the Japanese as to what other 
nations may possibly be thinking of them is admitted by 
many eminent Japanese, in private conversation, as a diffi- 
culty to be overcome. It bodes ill for their future peace 
and comfort as well as for that of those who may be brought 
into contact with them. The United States passed through 
a similar period of self -consciousness some fifty to one hun- 
dred years ago, and let us hope that Japan will peacefully 
emerge from such an experience. They admit the fairness 
of the general principle held by America adverse to unre- 
stricted immigration, but do ask for courteous treatment in 
connection therewith. Surely this is their due. 

No one should venture to extend peace work in Japan and 
grapple with the many-sided California-Japanese question 
who does not intimately know the faults on both sides and 
the dangers involved with respect to the controversy, and 
who can deal with them in a broad and sympathetic spirit. 
On both sides of the broad Pacific their people and our own 
have need to cultivate the "international mind." And the 
Christian worker's recourse to watchfulness and prayer is 
his crowning asset. The Christian solution of this perplex- 
ing question will be the only enduring one. Force or talk 
of bloodshed will never settle it. 




Theological Students at Union Bible Institute, Seoul. 




One of the Picturesque Gates of Seoul. 



VI. 

KOREA. 

Eleventh Month 17. 

We arrived in Seoul, Korea, about 8 p. m., where we were 
welcomed at the train by Bishop M. C. Harris of the M. E. 
Church in Korea, Dr. H. C. Underwood, and others. Our 
two days and one night of travel to Seoul had been partic- 
ularly pleasant. We were the only first-class travelers most 
of the way and were not subjected to crowding or to the 
annoyance of constant second-hand tobacco smoke. The 
steamship purser proved to be a Christian and helped us 
much. The scenery of southern Japan and the Inland Sea 
was charming all of yesterday. At Fusan we were met by 
Masaru Fujiwara, a Friend of the Japanese meeting. He is 
an officer in the customs. He feels his isolation. We sym- 
pathized with him, and tried to encourage him in his Chris- 
tian experiences. 

Korea has a population of about 13,000,000 people. There 
are about 200,000 Christians in this land. It was annexed 
by Japan about four years ago. The deposed emperor, Li, 
still lives in his ancestral palace at Seoul. The people are 
naturally non-aggressive, and have yielded to the active rule 
of Japan. 

Eleventh Monjth 18. 

A very strenuous campaign awaits us here. Our good 
missionary friends are going to make the most of us. I have 
been extensively advertised as a well-known church peace 
advocate, and much interest is excited in our visit. As for 
me, I must "look up unto the hills from whence cometh my 
help!" My prayers are often more that the people I meet 
with may be blessed with the enlightening influence of the 
Holy Spirit than that His power attend my imperfect min- 
istry. 



48 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

In the evening a peace meeting was held in the Japanese 
Y. M. C. A. for business men. It was presided over by the 
President of the Supreme Court of Korea, N. Watanabe, and 
about 200 were present. This gentleman greatly impressed 
me. He is a fine man and a Christian. 

Eleventh Month 19. 

Again I spoke twice to-day on international peace. A 
union meeting of the theological students of Seoul was held 
in the picturesque old building where the Union Bible Insti- 
tute meets. Over 100 men, most from 25 to 30 years of age, 
eagerly listened to the message of peace that I was led to 
deliver. After the opportunity I took a picture of the group. 
I everywere do but little sight-seeing. 

Thirteen hundred students crowded the Presbyterian 
place of worship in the afternoon to listen to another peace 
address. As on other occasions they sat on the floor, some 
on their heels, and others with crossed feet. They partic- 
ularly applauded some of the appeals I made for the bravery 
than can be exercised in peaceful pursuits, or on behalf of 
moral issues. This exhibition of feeling showed where their 
hearts were. The missionaries seem very happy at being 
able to introduce to the city a service that will extend the 
work of the Christian churches, and for the first time has 
brought the non-Christian members of the public schools 
into their churches. A large majority of the students pres- 
ent were from different high schools of Seoul, and repre- 
sentatives of the faculty of these, and the Christian col- 
leges and schools, sat together on the platform. I am always 
glad to be the means of helping these faithful missionaries in 
their work, besides spreading peace principles. It was a fine 
meeting. 

Eleventh Month 20. 

We held a Gospel meeting for worship for the students of 
the M. E. College and high school to-day, about 400 being 
there. I spoke from the last verse of the first Psalm. It 
was a Friends' meeting, not even an opening hymn, and I 
hope may have been blessed, as seemed to be fully the case. 



Korea. 4d 

Eleventh Month 21. 

The mission field of Korea has been the most signally 
blessed of all for many years. Apostolic conditions have 
prevailed. The outpouring's of the Holy Spirit have amazed 
the workers as in the days of old. We hear many anecdotes 
proving that literally signs and wonders have followed those 
who believe. Here is a sample from a most creditable 
source. 

Last evening during a most delightful dinner hour in the 
hospitable home of Dr. Underwood, we heard the following: 
A few years ago a certain elder in a Christian church, out 
in a country village, died, or to all appearances died. After 
a good many hours, whilst preparations for the funeral were 
being made, he came to life and sat up, to the amazement 
of his friends. They said to him, "We thought you were 
dead." He replied, "I have been dead." They asked him 
where had he been. He told them that he had died and 
gone to the door of a beautiful place which he was informed 
was heaven. He was about to enter when an angel stopped 

him, just as he also saw another Christian, Bro. , who 

lived in a neighboring village, go in. "Why can I not go in ?" 

he asked the angel; "you have just let Bro. go in?" 

The angel answered, "Yes, but Bro. has been faith- 
ful ; you have not been faithful. Go back and commence life 

again." Not long after it v/as ascertained that Bro. 

had died in the neighboring village at exactly the same time 
that the elder had, and had been buried soon thereafter. 
The church elder is still living. 

The above incident is well known in the locality where it 
occurred, but the missionaries have not advertised it, lest a 
possible misguided enthusiasm, based upon it, may lead 
astray inexperienced converts. 

One of the eminent missionaries of Korea, to whom I had 
an introduction, and who has helped us much, was about 
thirty-two years ago preparing himself for the missionary 
field in India. Yet very often the thought of Korea kept, at 
first much against his wishes, intruding itself into his mind. 
His arrangements were finally consummated, except that he 
must tvrite a letter definitely accepting a station in India. 



50 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

He wrote the letter and was, at the letter-box, just going to 
post it, in New York City, when he clearly heard a voice be- 
hind him saying, "What about Korea ?" He looked around, 
but saw no one, left the letter-box and decided that he would 
test this strange call once more. He went to the office of 
the Mission Board, where the elderly Secretary sat reading 
a letter. The latter looked up from his correspondence and 
remarked : "If ever there was coincidence in God's work, here 
it is. I am just reading a letter from the young man we had 
expected to send to Korea, informing me that he can not go. 
Just at the same moment you, who want to go there, come 
in. Get your medical certificate and we will see if we can 
send you." Soon thereafter the young man left for his work 
in this land, and it has been wonderfully blessed. 

We had a delightful meeting for worship with about 125 
girls and young women in the Presbyterian Girls' School this 
morning. We afterward dined with John F. Genso and wife 
and others. The girls had prepared a hymn in our honor to 
the tune of "America," and sang it at the close of the meet- 
ing. 

Eleventh Month 22. 

First day : At the Korean First Presbyterian Church to- 
day we met with about 250 native Christians. I spoke a 
short time. 

The union services of missionaries and their families, as 
far as I have ever seen, are in all lands seasons of spiritual 
uplift to the workers visiting them. This afternoon we 
faced a splendid group of men and women, some 150 in num- 
ber, of the description referred to. It was intended to be 
held as a conservative Friends' meeting, and was so, except 
that two hymns were proposed and sung from the body of 
the congregation, but it was the meeting of these dear breth- 
ren and sisters as well as mine; they did not quite under- 
stand, and I did not feel badly about it, as possibly the 
hymns without an organ helped to lift them, who rely so 
much on music, into the heavenly places into which we were 
all introduced. 

At my request their regular collection was deferred until 
the close of the service, and then it was proposed to apply 




"Temple of Heaven," Seoul. 




Korean Country Life and Mourning Hats. 



Korea. 51 

it to the relief of non-combatants. 

This brought out numerous expressions reyeahng the 
deep feeling of those present on the subject. I had previ- 
ously commenced a sermon, determined not to say a word 
about the peace question, of which I often get tired, but, 
before I concluded, realized that my own peace consisted 
in also speaking somewhat about the sins of militarism and 
sorrows of non-combatants. This I had been favored to do 
in connection with the tenor of the discourse, without low- 
ering the power or weight of it. It is always most impor- 
tant for the preacher to make instant response to the lead- 
ings of God. 

Eleventh Month 23. 

Happily we had no public engagements to-day, as stormy 
weather prevailed. 

The sights in Korean congregations are very novel to a 
man from the Occident. A curtain hung on a cord about 
eight feet high and running from the pulpit to the rear of 
the room separates the sexes. The women and girls sit on 
the floor, clad in wide Turkish trousers, drawn tightly at the 
ankles, and in voluminous skirts. Their heads are covered 
with peaked red, fur-lined caps. The men also sit on the 
floor, mostly arrayed in long white robes. Many wear their 
funny little black hats during the service. These hats are 
much the shape of the tall hats of civilization, but are much 
smaller and made of horsehair. They are perched on top of 
the heads of the wearers, and are fastened by bands brought 
under the chin. The sincere fervor of these Christians 
would well put to shame some in the home-land whose attire 
may be very grotesque. These Koreans are indefatigable 
Bible students. They are strong in prayer. They really 
consecrate their lives to Christ. Most of the congregations 
do not depend on funds from America, but are absolutely 
self-supporting. They are even sending missionaries of 
their own into China. 

Eleventh Month 29. 

Almost one week has elapsed since the last date recorded 
in this diary. On the 24th inst. we visited the Severence 



52 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

Hospital. It brought to mind the needs of our Friends' 
Tokyo Mission in this respect. Some of the surplus family 
expenditure of our Friends in Philadelphia yearly meeting, 
or of even the plainer sort of Christians anywhere, would 
easily alleviate the sufferings of thousands of distressed 
people in Tokyo, if applied to medical mission work, through 
the agency of that Mission. Above all, through such physi- 
cal means is the Gospel carried to longing hearts. 

After the visit to the hospital we dined with Dr. Mills and 
wife, she being, it is believed, the only Friend in Korea. 
Then we met about eighteen of the principal men connected 
with the civil and educational administration of Korea and 
Seoul at the Y. M. C. A. largely in connection with an inspec- 
tion of the fine new buildings. I embraced an opportunity 
to make a short appeal for the development of the spiritual 
as well as the material interests of the people committed to 
the care of the officials who were present. It was well re- 
ceived. 

In the evening we met with about 450 young men at the 
Y. M. C. A. Both W. B. H. and I earnestly entreated them 
to enter into the Christian life and accept the Lord Jesus 
Christ as their Savior. About 85 per cent, of those present 
were non-Christians. They listened with tense interest. 

Beside us on the platform sat the Korean Y. M. C. A. 
Secretary, and at the conclusion of the meeting he most 
earnestly addressed the congregation. He is an orator. Yi 
Sang Chai has had an extraordinary experience. Years ago 
he was Secretary of the Korean Legation at Washington, 
D. C, proud of his learning and seeming ability to confute 
the followers of Christ. Finally as a result of a revolution 
he was thrown into a miserable prison, where his son was 
tortured before his eyes, and he daily expected death. Some 
of the missionaries sought the veteran statesman, but he 
resisted their appeals to seek Christ. One day a sense of 
his sins and need of a Savior burst into his soul. He accept- 
ed Jesus as that Savior. He immediately comrr.enced to 
preach Christ to the other prisoners. Since then his life has 
been devoted to bringing young men to the Lord whom he 
once defied. He now, in his old age, after at one period 



Korea. 53 

hating life and feeling through with the world, has charge 
of the religious work of the Seoul Y. M. C. A. and brings 
many converts to the Master whom he so ardently loves. 

On the 29th inst., at the conclusion of the service in the 
Korean M. E. Church, a new church-member made an offer- 
ing of his spectacles, which cost three yen ($1.50), and 
which was all he had to give to the work of the Lord. Some 
may smile at this, but the incident is typical of the willing- 
ness among Christians, everywhere in this country, to sur- 
render all they have to Christ. 

That night I was taken ill, but am now rapidly improving. 
Happily our hotel is a new one, beautifully planned and con- 
ducted, and very comfortable. How true it is that the Lord's 
mercies are deftly and lovingly mingled with the trials that 
of ttimes harass his people ! Good Bishop Harris, of lovable 
personality — he really is as young as a boy — has called to 
see us every day. 

The sights of Korea are wonderful to a stranger. The im- 
mense "mourning hats" are intended to indicate shame be- 
cause of the loss of near relatives, and they are seen every- 
where. The oxen carry huge bundles of brush along the 
country highways. The people look dreamy as they sit and 
smoke in the winter sunlight. 



VII. 

IN PEKING. 



Twelfth Month .5. 



On the 30th ult. we left Seoul for Peking. The journey 
required four days and three nights. The days were passed 
in fairfy comfortable coaches; and the nights were, in that 
region unfrequented by foreign travelers, not so pleasant. 
Terribly cold weather greeted us in Manchuria. At our last 
resting-place, Shanhaikwan, a miserable experience from the 
coldness of our rooms awaited us. In the main the trip did 
us good and afforded a much-needed opportunity to relax 
from the exercises connected with our work. 

The sorrowful poverty of the people was continually in 
evidence. The strange and primitive habits of the popula- 
tion were a source of continual interest. The station scenes, 
sometimes with out-door restaurants, where the cooking of 
uncertain concoctions on the station platforms was observed, 
were full of excitement and life. My wife was almost the 
only white woman we saw in these four days of travel. She 
was a source of great curiosity to the throngs that some- 
times peered into the railway car windows. Now, in Peking 
new scenes and work await us. 

The past two days have been largely devoted to interview- 
ing officials connected with the Christian schools and uni- 
versities, and others, and making engagements for next 
week. An open door awaits us. Our errands around this 
city of great distances are performed by means of rickshaws. 
The cost is about ten cents per hour American money. It 
is a favor that lovely, bracing weather has made this pre- 
paratory work so agreeable. 

To-day we were glad to meet with E. W. Thwing, the 
China Secretary of the International Reform Bureau. He 
is a great fighter on behalf of better moral conditions in the 
republic. His home and office are reached by a circuitous 




Amber Merchants on Missionary Porch, Seoul. 




Chinese Architecture is Rich in Detail. 



In Peking. 55 

route through weird gateways and between high stone walls 
off the main highway. We also conferred with the Amer- 
ican Ambassador, Dr. Reinsh. Both he and Dr. Thwing 
were able to offer suggestions connected with the address to 
the people of China, which I bring from our Church Peace 
Committee of the Pacific Coast. 

We notice many points of difference between Japan and 
China. The people in China dress almost in one color — blue. 
There are few women and children in the streets. Long fur 
overcoats or padded robes are worn by the men at this sea- 
son of the year here in the North. The street scenes in Pe- 
king baffle description. Thousands of rickshaws stream up 
and down the principal streets, for there is not a tram-car in 
this city of 1,000,000 people. Some people ride on mules, 
some in the little comfortless, covered, non-springing two- 
wheeled carts wherein the occupants crowd, bowed out of 
human shape. Occasionally a sleepy Chinaman rides by in 
a coupe which has two men in front, and an outrider stand- 
ing on the rear of the vehicle. Trains of big camels with 
their supercilious lips push their way through the motley 
throngs, and at intervals the toot of a motor-car horn warns 
all hands to the unpaved sidewalk. The impassive faces out- 
side of the working classes much impress me. Funny little 
shops and gay signboards abound on every hand. 

One thing we do not yet hear in China which annoyed us 
in Japan. It is the sharp click of the night watchman's 
instrument as he performs his hourly rounds. Yet I con- 
fess that that ear-penetrating sound has its advantages. It 
warns the evil-doer to desist in his operations until the po- 
liceman has moved on. It keeps the patrolman from contact 
with the prospective evil-doer, and thus invites safety for 
the minion of the law. Both parties should be perfectly sat- 
isfied. 

I was profoundly interested at seeing this week in a Chi- 
nese graveyard — these family cemeteries dot the landscape 
everywhere — a whole family bowed to the earth with their 
heads literally buried in the soft, freshly heaped mound. 
They were motionless, as thus engaged, whilst two little chil- 
dren stood by and wonderingly looked on. I thought of that 



56 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

splendid expression of our Lord's, "This is life eternal to 
know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou 
hast sent." When China emerges from the unsatisfying re- 
ligions, or superstitions, that oppress her, into the light of 
the Gospel of Christ, she will develop into a happiness of 
which her philosophers and statesmen have not dreamed. 

Twelfth Month 7. 

Last evening — First-day — we met with 1000 students at 
the Peking University. It was laid upon me to present 
to them their individual responsibility with respect to the 
moral, material, and spiritual uplift of China. Spiritual re- 
generation will be the only foundation upon which the other 
conditions can be constructed. They must follow the Chris- 
tian nations not in those things wherein the professors of 
Christ have brought shame to His name, but in the develop- 
ment of the grand spiritual forces whereon Christian civili- 
zation has been built. Imitation of Christianity will avail 
but little. The young people whom I addressed must them- 
selves experience the regenerating work of the Spirit of God 
in their own hearts. They must pass through the gates of 
repentance, and submit to the power of Christ in their own 
lives, and be filled with the spirit of the Savior before they 
can do all that they yearn to do for China. Then in the 
broad vision that He gives His people they will see the needs 
and sufferings of those about them, and participate in the 
splendid Christian patriotism that China, and all the world, 
so badly needs to-day. I concluded with a solemn appeal to 
humble themselves as little children that they may thus see 
and enter the Kingdom of God. The Divine Spirit Himself 
was in our midst at this meeting. 

I was tired after the meeting, and we did not get back to 
dinner until half past eight o'clock. 

In the afternoon we had been at the Y. M. C. A. It was 
the gift of John Wanamaker, and is a fine building. His 
gifts to this work in some of the large cities of the Orient 
are valuable beyond human appreciation. We had had the 
noon meal with John S. Burgess and wife, once of Morris- 
ville, Pa., who are acquainted with many of our Friends 
near Philadelphia. He is connected with the Peking Y. M. 



In Peking. 57 

C. A. Many hundreds of young men are in the Bible classes 
under his supervision, and many of them are non-Christians. 
But adopting the faith of Jesus generally succeeds the seri- 
ous investigating of it. 

I have been sorry to learn of the illness of my interpreter 
in Seoul when we were there. He has broken down under 
the stress of a revival in the church in which he is pastor. 
He is a fine man, and, I have been told, would even on winter 
mornings go out into the hills, hours before daybreak, and 
pray for his people and country. I do not forget our first 
interview with him, when, telling a little about his personal 
history, he suddenly exclaimed with illuminated countenance 
and powerful emphasis, "I have been redeemed by the blood 
of Jesus." 

Twelfth Month 8. 

A shopping expedition consumed part of yesterday. Back 
into the narrow streets and up crooked alley- ways are found 
some of the shops and factories that have made chinaware 
famous for centuries. In them you can purchase choice 
works of art almost in the same rooms where painstaking 
artists ply brush and pencil. It is all exceedingly interest- 
ing. 

Among many merchants in Korea and China, even in the 
lobby of our hotel, the one-price system does not prevail. 
The vendors of bric-a-brac, jade and embroidery ask big 
prices and are certainly disappointed in the buyer and seem 
to feel that the transaction is "no game" if he fails to offer 
much less for the goods than is at first demanded. "What 
you give ?" is the almost inevitable question that quickly fol- 
lows a declination to purchase. "Friend Harvey" in a shop 
recently bid $5 for jade that was offered to him at first for 
$25,' and at the last moment was surprised to have his offer 
accepted. He declares that he does not now wish that he 
had tendered only $3 for that jade ! 

Fully 500 young men were addressed by me last evening 
at a Y. M. C. A. rally. Most of them were non-Christians. 
The historical proofs of the verity of the religion of Christ, 
as witnessed in the fulfillment of prophecy regarding Him, 
and His hidden yet definite work in the hearts of men, was 



58 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

my theme. The secretaries connected with this Y. M. C. A. 
are overworked, and the meeting called at 7 p. m. did not 
commence until almost 8 o'clock. We left before it conclud- 
ed, but even then did not sit down to dinner until after 9 p. m. 
The hotel dinner does not commence until 8 o'clock, which 
for evening work in very inconvenient. 

We dined to-day with Dr. C. C. Fenn, President of the 
Union Theological College, and in the early afternoon had a 
very satisfactory meeting with the divinity students. How 
important it is that the future representatives of Christ in 
the Orient be fully imbued with His Spirit and know their 
ministrations to be developed and guided by Him. Nothing- 
short of themselves realizing that the faith that they will 
be called upon to preach is a blessed experience in their own 
lives will suffice in the difficulties connected with their la- 
bors of the future. 

During the Boxer troubles of 1900 the Fenn family fled to 
the British legation and resided there with many others for 
52 days, and during that time of trial a little daughter was 
so desperately ill that she was not expected to live for weeks 
together. Over 220 missionaries in China sealed their testi- 
mony to Christ with their blood, besides many native Chris- 
tians, during those terrible days. In the compound of the 
Union Theological College we to-day stood by the ruin of a 
tower of the former Presbyterian Church that was destroyed 
at that period. 

The reprisals made by Christian nations and their soldiers 
after the siege of Peking did small credit to the profession 
of the religion of Jesus. Admiral E. H. Seymour, of the 
British navy, in his autobiography, remarks : "I should think 
that the booty taken at Peking in 1900 was as valuable as 
any so got in the lifetime of the present generation." 

Often we see funerals in Peking. The largest so far ob- 
served was met to-day on Hatamen Street. It was a great 
procession, blocks in length, with beautifully embroidered 
banners and other paraphernalia borne aloft, whilst priests, 
drums and a motley host lent eclat to the occasion. The 
catafalque was quite thirty feet long, of a brilliant red and 
other colors, and very massive and heavy. Some thirty or 




The Architecture at the Llama Temple, Peking, Is Very 
Beautiful. 




Some Priests at the Llama Temple. 



In Peking. 59 

forty men staggered under the load. Fully 150 or 200 men 
must have been in the parade. Beggars are employed to 
swell the assumed grief of the well-to-do. So much for the 
funerals of the rich. The converse of this is seen when the 
poor are buried. Even children under five years of age are 
— we are informed — considered to have no souls and when 
they die, carts come round early in the mornings, and with- 
out any signs of respect, the little bodies are hauled away. 

Twelfth Month 9. 

We took part of this morning to ride out to the "Temple 
of Heaven" where at the times of the winter solstice for 
many years the emperors of the old regime would repair to 
offer sacrifices to Heaven. This represented as near a spir- 
itual concept of religion as China has aff'orded. The prac- 
tice has been discontinued since the establishment of the re- 
public, but it is understood that the President, Yuan Shik- 
Khi, expects to reinstate the ancient ritual in person the 
coming season. The most imposing feature is the great pa- 
vilion, or dome, lavishly decorated with blues, greens and 
gilt, and surrounded by three tiers of beautifully carved bal- 
ustrades of white marble. The whole place is weather-worn, 
whilst weeds intrude into this sacred place of by-gone days. 

After dinner at Dr. Lowry's, W. B. H. and I proceeded to 
the compound of the American Board, where the young peo- 
ple connected with the different schools of the mission and 
some others met with us — about 250 persons altogether. It 
was a good meeting. My friend expressed his earnest inter- 
est in those present, and I followed at some length. The 
silent part of the meeting manifested spiritual life and an 
uplift of the congregation in reverent heart-prayer. Here, 
as in so many other missions, those in charge are full of hap- 
piness and hope in connection with their noble work for 
Christ. 

Twelfth Month 10. 

Most of to-day was consumed in a trip to Tsing Hua Col- 
lege, the American Indemnity School, a few miles out of the 
city. Here about 400 students eagerly listened to a dis- 
course on 'Tnternationalism," which I delivered. Afterward 
we were entertained by the Dean, Chao Guo-Tsai, and his 



60 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

charming wife in their home. Our return to Peking was a 
cold experience. 

At the close of the Boxer troubles the United States was 
awarded indemnity said to be to the extent of $24,000,000, 
which sum was far in excess of the actual amount due 
by China as a result of damage and loss incurred by our 
country. Our government, we are told, refunded some 
$13,000,000 to China with the understanding that the monies 
returned be spent in the education of young Chinese in 
the United States and preparation therefor. The beautiful 
modern institution which we visited to-day is part of this 
noble scheme on behalf of international justice and friend- 
ship. The lads were a keen lot and required no interpreter. 
They are selected from every province in the great republic 
of 400,000,000 souls, and the possibilities growing out of 
their ability and future educational advantages can hardly 
be estimated. The College Y. M. C. A. has 200 Bible stu- 
dents. It was a privilege to plead with this important stu- 
dent body on behalf of the peace which our Lord certainly 
intends should reign among civilized peoples. 

Twelfth Month 11. 

This morning we were engaged in opening the way for 
letters of introduction to Canton. W. B. H. feels jealous lest 
we trust too much in such aids and not enough in the Lord. 
I tell him that whilst recognizing his thought in the matter 
I at the same time feel that such letters with all the un- 
questioned help they bring us, are so many evidences that 
the Lord is making way for us, and are calculated to encour- 
age us to still further rely on the divine power. Probably 
we think about the same, after all. 

We fill up a few cracks in our time with a little sight- 
seeing. The temple of Confucius is a place of great inter- 
est. Here is the Hall of Classics, a large open square or 
plaza, surrounded by buildings in. which are placed the great 
stone tablets with the Chinese classics carved upon them. 
In the center is the Emperor's Hall of Examination. A curi- 
ously inverted sun-dial records the time as accurately as do 
our flat ones. Near this temple, with its conservation of 
Chinese literature, is the Llama Temple. It too is made up 



In Peking. 61 

of a series of buildings of distinctly Chinese architecture, 
with ancient elaborate carvings, and various colored lacquer 
work. Some of the huge wooden pillars and great doorways 
are impressive. I secured some good snap-shots here. In 
one building probably about one hundred boys attired in 
yellow robes were shrilly chanting prayers, but their actions 
did not indicate any religious feeling, as we count such 
things. Nearby some priests performed their worship, 
which consisted of beating a big drum and ringing a bell. 
They were a poor looking lot of men. We did not see a 
single worshipper besides. It is very different in Japan, 
where men and women constantly resort to the temples and 
kneel before their images and; aloud or in silence, pray. In 
Peking there are practically few temples, and these are de- 
serted. Instead a dirty crowd of priests or boys disgust the 
visitor by intruding on his path and vociferously demanding 
coppers at every doorway he passes through. Everything 
in these places, so far as we have observed, except the arch- 
itecture, is vulgar. 

Twelfth Month 13. 

Peking is a marvelous city. I like it. Even the great 
wall of seventeen miles that surrounds it is extraordinary. 
It is from 60 to 100 feet high, and about 50 feet wide. The 
huge towers over the gateways give some idea of what Pe- 
king must have been in the days of her pride and glory. 

Last evening a young missionary was telling of the great 
eagerness in his district for Western learning. Everywhere 
in that province the authorities are seeking to pass the con- 
trol of the public schools into the hands of the missionaries, 
and desire that the Bible be included as a text-book, which 
is done as far as practicable. But the missionaries' facili- 
ties, both with respect to men and money, are altogether in- 
adequate to this great opportunity to christianize China. 
In this same province every resident missionary was killed 
not many years ago ! 

Is not such an attitude in China a challenge to the 
churches at home ? 

In the evening I addressed about 300 people on "Peace" 
at the American Board Compound. 



VIII. 
OVERTIME IN PEKING. 

Twelfth Month 14. 

We do not start for Hankow to-day as anticipated, my 
wife having sprained her ankle very badly. I feel that a 
divine Providence may be over-ruling our activities by this 
means, for our good and the furtherance of our work. 

Last night we met with over 100 medical students at the 
Union Medical College of Peking. It was a fine group of 
men, and through an interpreter I addressed them for about 
an hour, and was followed by W. B. H. with a few words. 
We emphasized the possibilities of their being instrumental 
in helping the spiritual needs of others in their future labors 
as they themselves receive and obey the Spirit of Christ. 

The longer I stay in the Far East the more I hear of the 
fruits of militarism. At the American barracks in a certain 
city in the Orient, where services are held once a week by 
Christian workers, with those few soldiers who are willing 
to come, some of the regular attenders did not appear one 
evening. They were reported as being in the lock-up. The 
ladies who assisted at the services asked what the men had 
done, and were told that "it was too bad to tell about." I 
often think that if church members who sometimes inno- 
cently and sentimentally laud the presumed benefits or need 
of barrack and war-ship life, knew the real demoralization 
to young manhood and womanhood growing out of the un- 
natural system, they would abhor and protest against a 
scheme which in its very essence and fruits neutralizes the 
mission and labors of the churches. 

Here is another instance: Unavailing efforts, from no ac- 
countable cause, had been made by some Christian workers 
in a Chinese city to secure the attendance at their Bible 
classes of the students in a certain large high school. The 
mystery was explained recently when at a dinner the prin- 
cipal of the school in question was heard to comment on 



Overtime in Peking. 63 

Christians and the European war in these words: 'They 
talk smoothly to us, but when they lay off their cloak of 
Christianity, they are ravening wolves." The inconsistency 
of many "Christians" with respect to militarism can not 
appeal to the "heathen" mind and constitutes a serious han- 
dicap on missionary effort. 

Again, I heard to-day of a young and most capable Chi- 
nese Christian who recently spoke in terms of extreme pes- 
simism in connection with the surrender of honor, noble 
ideals, and civilization as illustrated in the actions of the 
military forces of the different nations now engaged in war 
with each other. The very spiritual foundations of this 
young man are being rudely shaken. Can we wonder at 
this? 

We met with about 40 missionaries at the home of Dr. 
Goodrich last evening. Behind grim stone walls, and 
reached by several courtyards, was found a beautiful draw- 
ing-room combining charming Chinese decoration with 
American comfort, whilst within was warmth, fellowship, 
love, and prayer. Upon request I spoke a short time regard- 
ing the importance of the workers for Christ adhering to 
the original sense of the divine call into His service and to 
the spiritual power that first attended their ministry for 
Him. Having commenced in the spirit, shall we be made 
perfect through the flesh? 

Twelfth Month 15. 

This afternoon we had a genuine Friends' meeting with 
seventy pupils at the Boys' School of the Presbyterian Mis- 
sion. The President, W. H. Gleysteen, is deeply interested 
in the spiritual as well as the educational life of those under 
his care. He told us, after the meeting, how recently a 
pupil dying of consumption declared, "I have no sickness in 
my heart — my sickness is all in my body." Not long ago a 
boy came to him and, with tears in his eyes, exclaimed, 'T 
wish all the boys in this school knew Jesus." We hear of 
numerous instances indicating the possibilities of the Holy 
Spirit as He operates on the hearts of the new converts in 
this materialistic land. 



64 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

Twelfth Month 18. 

We are now waiting day by day for the recovery of my 
wife — her naturally happy disposition stands us all in good 
stead. As to work, there is little we can do with the ap- 
proach of the holiday season, and examinations are now on 
in many of the schools. 

Yesterday I extracted great joy from the fact that a new 
rickshaw man pulled me ahead of W. B. H. That was a 
most discerning rickshaw man. Generally in these coun- 
tries, vvhere a portly form is counted as of great value and 
an indication of prosperity, my good friend with his clerical, 
not to say priestly, appearance, is quickly transferred to the 
head of our little procession of three. He is the man unto 
whom all honor is naturally accorded in other respects. I, 
with my starved looks, mostly behave with becoming mod- 
esty, but was right glad that for once I did not yesterday 
trail in the rear. 

The help rendered by E. W. Thwing, China Secretary of 
the International Reform Bureau, has been much appreci- 
ated by me in connection with the dissemination of the ad- 
dress to the people of China from our Peace Committee of 
Pacific Coast Churches. He translated it, and had it placed 
before all the newspapers of the country, many of whom 
have printed it. 

E. W. Thwing is a power for good in China. He is thor- 
oughly hated by those who desire to perpetrate opium and 
gambling in the country. He has been so happy as to enlist 
the interest and sympathy of the President in his work, who 
has extended to him many evidences of his support. Opium 
selling has been abolished from the parts of the Republic 
under the control of the Government. But to the lasting 
shame of the Christian Powers of the world they not only 
fail to support the President of China, but permit and en- 
courage their nationals in China to extend the traffic in 
opium. The financial gains of these citizens of foreign 
"Christian" countries is esteemed of more importance than 
the moral and physical conservation of the Chinese. In 
Shanghai there are said to be 666 places where opium is 
sold, and all of these are in the foreign quarter where Euro- 



Overtime in Peking. 65 

peans or Americans live, and which is under their civic con- 
trol and administration, with Englishmen in the majority. 
Into this Christian quarter of that great city flock the Chi- 
nese to purchase the deadly drug which they can not obtain 
in other parts of their own country. 

Unfortunately the labor of our good brother Thwing, 
whilst valued by the missionaries of China, and whilst ac- 
knowledged as an honor to their great movement, is little 
understood or appreciated by the church people of America. 
He sorely needs the financial aid which they would otherwise 
be glad to give him. He sacrificed his all to the great re- 
forms which his unique personality is so splendidly extend- 
ing among the millions of inhabitants of this land. May 
God continue to bless his untiring efforts ! 

Twelfth Month 22. 

The evening of last First-day found us at the barracks of 
the United States marine corps attached to the American Le- 
gation at Peking. Out of the 270 men in the two companies 
kept there, some 24 attended. This was a larger number 
than is generally expected at services held for these soldiers. 
I earnestly pleaded with them to come out boldly and con- 
fess Christ and endure the cross for His sake. Conversa- 
tion afterward with some of them elicited honest expression 
that led the way into a deeper personal interest in them. 

Since that service we have had interesting information 
concerning other men in the United States army in China. 
One man has recently been converted through the faithful 
efforts of missionaries. He has resigned from the service, 
and is endeavoring to buy himself out, under the profound 
conviction that if ever engaged in war he could not, as a 
Christian, kill another. He told his commanding officer the 
exact reason, adding that he would shoot his gun into the 
air under such circumstances, and would expect himself to 
suffer the death penalty therefor. 

It has been a source of pleasure to meet with a number 
of young Christian soldiers in the Orient. One young man 
some time back received as payment for a gambling debt a 
Bible from a comrade who had nothing else to give. The re- 
cipient of the precious volume commenced to read it, then 



66 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

fell into the hands of Christian workers among the soldiers, 
and has since come under powerful conviction because of his 
past life. He told me that he could not kill a man now, witli 
the new light shed on his pathway, and was resolved to quit 
the service as soon as he could. 

We have met in the Orient a young soldier who desired us 
to furnish him with religious books. In conversation he re- 
ferred to the moral dangers of barrack life, where "the 
boys" have from 1 :30 p. m. to 10 p. m. to go and "do as they 
please. He said that fifty per cent, of the young men have 
never had a chance to speak to a respectable woman since 
they entered the service, and that if the Christian people of 
America knew of the temptations connected with the mili- 
tary system they would never uphold it, no matter how 
much they felt that their personal wealth was protected 
or increased by it. This voluntary statement by him har- 
monized with my personal observations in many lands. 

Today by special appointment of Yaun-Shih-Khi, the Pres- 
ident of China, we met with the First Master of Ceremonies, 
Wong Kai-wen, at the President's Palace, to present infor- 
mation and facts connected with the address I brought from 
the Peace Committee of Pacific Coast Churches, and also to 
offer any message that we might desire to convey to the 
President. We had about half an hour's frank expression 
of opinion with Wong Kai-wen. I endeavored to place be- 
fore him the sincerity of purpose that animated many of the 
church leaders of America in their recent opposition to the 
system of militarism, supporting my assertions by facts of 
recent date. In the course of conversation I expressed the 
regret of many of China's friends that her statesmen are 
being freely advised by some well-meaning and excellent 
Christians to create an enormous army wherewith to resist 
the encroachments of foreign powers. I offered my individ- 
ual belief that to endeavor to militarize the Republic would 
tend to still further depress the economic condition of the 
masses, create apprehensions on the part of foreign govern- 
ments as to the ulterior motive of China, and thereby pre- 
maturely invite attacks upon her, which would very likely 
result in depletion of her power and territory. This dis- 




4u I 



iukm ■" 




'..'... ■ .■•^'■S'»."<i:;--'rik.J 



American Board Compound, Peking, 
typical of missionary centers in the orient. 




pSSSSBb^ 



wn 



JjllJHyfflHJBByil!! 

'I' ■ « II -^ 

''^^WjWWMMliWlMtlMliMi i nil JM M llini l ^ 





One OF THE Many Towers of Peking. 



Overtime in Peking. 67 

cussion was followed by W. B. H. presenting the evils of ex- 
tending the lottery system, the efforts of civilization to 
abolish it, and a protest against the "premium bonds" now 
being advertised for sale by the Chinese Government as a 
means of raising money based on their lottery and gambling 
features. Our courteous auditor, as the personal repre- 
sentative of the President, promised to convey to the latter 
a resume of our expressions, and will no doubt do so. 

To get to the President's office, which is in the center of 
the Forbidden City, we had to pass many groups of soldiers 
and present our authority to progress at numerous places. 
Three cups of tea in as many different waiting-rooms were 
proffered us. The grounds were gray and beautiful in their 
cold and wintery setting. The palace of the last Emperor 
was on an island surrounded by the frozen lake, pjs gables, 
roofs and pavilions, gayly decorated with lacquer in which 
red, green, blue and gilt predominated, made a novel and 
beauteous spectacle. 

President Yuan-Shik-kai is a remarkable man. He has 
many enemies. Theoretically he maintains a republic, but 
practically he has destroyed constitutionalism. He has built 
up a tremendous political machine. He has improved the 
efficiency of government, and holds his authority by virtue 
of a military force acting as police. The fires of revolution 
have not ceased to smoulder, and his strong, if sometimes 
ruthless, hand may possibly be the only one fit to control in 
the great tribulations through which China is now passing. 



IX. 
IN THE HEART OF CHINA. 

Twelfth Month 25. 

We had a hard time getting out of Peking the morning of 
the 23rd inst., owing to the route to the station being blocked 
by soldiers to protect the President returning from his early 
visit to offer sacrifices to heaven. He had not been out of 
his palace for many months. Within three minutes' walk 
of the station our carriage was turned back, and we were 
compelled to make a detour of some eight miles. The poor 
little brown horses, not much higher than my waist, finally 
became exhausted in a wretched ''road" of loose cobbles, 
which was the only available way into the shed-end of the 
station. My poor wife got out and limped along the tracks 
to where the train was standing. We had just ten minutes 
and our luggage had not yet arrived. Suddenly it appeared, 
and then the officials refused to acknowledge our tickets pur- 
chased of Cooks', insisting that we must each pay $42 for 
new tickets to our destination, Hankow. Finally they re- 
lented to the extent of permitting us to board the train as it 
moved off and settle after it started. Our trunks went 
aboard without our securing checks. Then we had to meet 
repeated challenges on the train as to the validity of our 
tickets, but our rightful position was finally acknowledged. 
W. B. H. and I were two excited Friends! Even the very 
cold car failed to cool us down for a long time ! 

It takes two days and one night to travel from Peking to 
Hankow right through the heart of China. As everywhere 
else in China, all the station platforms were lined with sol- 
diers. The station scenes were wild with people. Often we 
noted the out-door restaurants where eatables were offered 
for sale — sometimes the vendors perched on a stone wall or 
on a fence by the railroad tracks. At one place a mob of 
adults and children, clothed in rags, fought like beasts to se- 
cure the refuse from the restaurant car which was dealt out 
to them, and with claw-like fingers savagely conveyed the 



In the Heart of China. 69 

stuff hardly fit for pigs to their mouths. Yet right at Pitts- 
burg, U. S. A., my wife once witnessed just such a sight! 

The country scenes are interesting. You go past big 
walled cities and humble adobe villages. The people, clad in 
blue garments, stand in groups to watch the train. The lit- 
tle towns throng with queerly dressed people reeking in dirt 
and outdoor cookery. The flat country is covered with 
graves — hundreds to be seen from any one point anywhere — 
and you wonder if the living will have enough ground to till 
before many years. Sometimes you see women weaving as 
they sit on the frozen earth. Oxen go round and round the 
big stone mills crushing grain beneath the huge stones con- 
nected with their harness. Donkeys, bulls, horses or mules 
are indiscriminately hitched to primitive ploughs or cumber- 
some carts. Black, furry pigs often race with the train. 
At one place we fly by two men's heads in a sort of cage fas- 
tened to a telegraph pole — a horrible grisly sight ! 

The usages on the train were not those of the Twentieth 
Century Limited. A few times daily, coolies would bring 
face towels wrung out in hot water, and the Chinese pas- 
sengers would therewith very carefully mop their faces — 
only their faces. Hot water and tea was served every little 
while by men who brought the kettles from car to car. The 
restaurant car was not a success. Finally we quit patroniz- 
ing it. Our attendant there, the only man on the train who 
understood our language, explained that the reason for the 
reproachable condition of the linen was that it started clean 
from Hankow to Peking, and now after four days we were 
en route Peking to Hankow. The table manners in China 
are quite different from those of America, As a general 
proposition, traveling on railroads and steamships in this 
country is good. 

From Tokyo to Hankow — thousands of miles — we have 
been the only white people traveling at any one time any 
distance, and excepting for a few miles in Korea, my wife 
has been the only white woman on the train. People are 
afraid to travel on account of the war. There are no tour- 
ists, and most foreigners in the Orient who are active and 
able to travel have gone home to fight. 



70 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

This is a quiet Christmas day for us, in the middle of a 
strange land, far from those at home whom we love. 

Twelfth Month 27. 

Hankow is the first place since leaving home where there 
seems little for us to do. No doubt but the fact that we are 
here in the full Christmas-tide, and have few introductions, 
accounts for our unusual experience. But if it is not intend- 
ed that we are to be the means of imparting many spiritual 
gifts to others it may be that our visit here will reveal some 
of the needs of non-Christian lands which in turn we can 
feebly depict to our friends in America. 

Yesterday we crossed the Yang-Tze-kiang (river) in a 
sampan to Wuchang, accompanied by a guide, who could not 
speak English, and who was kindly furnished by the Amer- 
ican Episcopal Mission. We were cordially received by 
Dr. Jackson, President of Boone College, and after tiffin with 
Arnold Foster, of the London Mission, returned to Hankow. 
Our progress during the day was through the narrow streets 
and amidst the filth of Wuchang, where multitudes bar- 
gained, and families made fire-crackers and matches or 
rocked their babies in crude cradles out in the sunshine in 
front of their grimy homes. But at every turn somebody 
tried by deceit or intimidation to exact from us far more 
than the usual pay for services rendered. W. B. H. was 
once actually threatened with personal violence. The half- 
starved wretches we were compelled to deal with could not 
forego an opportunity to add to their meager fare. When 
finally we reached Boone College and the gate was closed on 
the dreariness of the non-Christian world, and the serene 
beauty of the college grounds with their architectural at- 
tractions and the spirit of love depicted on the countenances 
of those we met burst upon our view, we felt as if we had 
passed through a little purgatory into Paradise. And so is 
it everywhere. The contrast between where Christ reigns 
and where He is unknown is vivid throughout the Orient. 

On Christmas morning an errand took me out of the for- 
eign concession, with all its fairness of palms and flowers, 
broad streets and handsome buildings, into the better part 
of the Chinese quarter of the city. In one place I saw a boy 



In the Heart of China. 71 

about eight years of age, stark-naked except for a narrow 
wisp of straw round his waist, lying on the cold pavement, 
moaning and shaking pitifully. The shop-keepers and pe- 
destrians clad in their padded or fur-lined garments smiled 
contemptuously on the lad whose little basket by his side, 
with a few "cash" in it, each worth about one-twentieth of 
an American cent, proclaimed he was a beggar. About fifty 
feet away was a policeman. There was no doubt about the 
sufferings of the child — I could hardly keep warm in an over- 
coat and heavy clothing. By signs I tried to show my feel- 
ings to some who stood by, but could do nothing. As I 
turned away from this sorrowful scene on the very day de- 
voted to commemorating the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem 
and remembered the often pitiful sights daily witnessed in 
the heart of China, I felt that what we see rebukes the 
thought that missionaries are not an appointed means for 
the relief of spiritual and physical woes. Is it not true, 
"God is not willing any should perish"? Are any races ex- 
cluded from this benign intent of God ? Are we not blessed 
as we sow by all waters ? 

The lower classes of China — as in all other countries — 
may sometimes lie, grab and steal, and even some Chris- 
tian converts may, at times, be somewhat affected by hered- 
ity and environment. Yet the fact remains that not a few 
grand witnesses for Christ, yielding the fruits of the Spirit, 
are throughout the Orient splendid and living exponents of 
the value of the missionary propaganda. Is not even a rush 
light in the darkness better than the darkness without light ? 

Arnold Foster told me yesterday that Isaac Sharp, when 
over 80 years of age, on his missionary journey round the 
world was describing his unquestionably dangerous experi- 
ences descending the rapids of the Yang-tze-kiang. He was 
asked if he was not afraid. "No," replied Isaac Sharp, "I 
was not afraid; I knew my Heavenly Father had promised 
to take care of me — but whether in this world or the next 
He had not shown me !" Here was faith. 

Twelfth Month 31. 

On the 29th inst. we held a real conservative Friends' 
meeting at the Boone University, which represents part of 



72 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

the splendid missionary activity of the American Episcopal 
Church. How closely the ritualistic Episcopalian and the 
non-ritualistic Quaker can get together in Christ! The 
Spirit of God was with us during the hour in which we par- 
ticipated in our simple form of worship. Our association 
with Dr. James Jackson, the President of this institution, 
has been particularly helpful to me; his sympathy, spirit 
of love and broad view of the spiritual concept of the reli- 
gion of Christ all form a most winning personality, which 
it will be a pleasure to remember. 

Hankow is an exceedingly interesting city. The foreign 
concession has some handsome buildings, and beautiful 
streets. One of the unique sensations when going through 
the Russian quarter of the city is to inhale the fragrance 
of tea which emanates from the big tea-packing warehouses 
and which is wafted on the breeze for blocks down the 
streets. 

That night we left Hankow, and after a delightful voyage 
of about forty hours arrived at Nanking. The water scenes 
on the Yang-tze were full of life and interest. The poor 
men engaged in discharging or receiving cargoes everywhere 
excite our commiseration. They stagger under loads fit 
only for a horse. They are fortunate, as elsewhere in China, 
if they average a daily compensation equal to ten cents in 
American money. Up to the ship's side, tossing on the cold, 
yellow. waters in old dilapidated boats or strange big, round 
tubs, would come beggars clad in filthy rags and gesticulat- 
ing wildly as they plead for alms. Upon landing at Nan- 
king we experienced some difficulty owing to the stupidity 
of soldiers, and the usual imposition of luggage-carriers, in 
spite of the valuable assistance of a lady connected with 
mission work, who kindly met us. After a ride of some five 
miles In the cutting winter wind we found grateful shelter 
in 'The Quakerage," which is to be our home for the ensu- 
ing week. 

Speaking of these soldiers reminds me that one of tliem 
held his bayonet one foot distant from my wife's face dur- 
ing the parley at the gate of the city, whilst they were de- 
ciding as to whether we should be permitted to enter or not. 



In the Heart of China. 73 

All the way through Japan, Manchuria and China we have 
been subject to polite scrutiny and quiet examination on 
trains and at stations. Every foreigner naturally seems to 
be an object of suspicion to these Orientals during this time 
of war. 

First Month 2, 1915. 

We met with about 60 students at the Union Theological 
College this morning. It was my lot to present to them the 
call and qualification essential for the exercise of the Chris- 
tian ministry, and endeavor to encourage them in the faith, 
patience, consecration and divine guidance which will be 
necessary in the future years of their service for Christ. 
The Christ-like attributes, which alone can win men to him, 
can only be revealed through his ministers as they them- 
selves daily live in intimate heart and spiritual relationship 
with Him. This Union College represents seven different 
denominations, and members of the faculty were most kind 
afterward in declaring their gratification at the message de- 
livered. This has, of course, cheered me. 

First Month 3. 

At the Nanking University chapel service this — First-day 
— morning part of the hour of worship was given to me. 
Mj^ heart was filled with a great desire that the students 
present — Christians and non-Christians — yield themselves 
to Christ and to the illuminating guidance of His Spirit. I 
spoke about forty minutes from the text, "Christ shall give 
thee light." 

We have greatly enjoyed meeting with our friends, John 
W. Nipps and wife. 

First Month 4. 

Under a sudden apprehension that I should go over to the 
Language School, I immediately after breakfast went for 
W. B. H., who is boarding a few blocks distant, and we pro- 
ceeded there. The dean of the school, Charles L. Keen, 
proved to have been a pupil of Friends' School in Camden, 
N. J. (Race Street connection), and promptly invited me to 
speak at the morning chapel exercises which commenced a 
few minutes thereafter. I had no message at first except 



74 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

that I reminded those present that as future and present 
Christian workers they would all need to learn and know 
beyond everything else the language of the Spirit. Once on 
my feet I was enlarged in expression on this line, and it was 
a reverent and heart-contriting season. The Friends have 
apparently a good school for girls in Nanking, although we 
have seen but little of it. Their hospital for women, under 
the efficient management of Dr. Tsao, is accomplishing ex- 
cellent work. Another hospital and dispensary, across the 
Yang-tze-kiang, under the care of Dr. De Vol and his wife, is 
doing noble service. It is the only hospital within a range 
of thirty miles, and its possibilities for good are only limited 
by financial needs. 

Much of the missionary work around Nanking is union- 
ized. The University is a fine institution and is the center 
of Christian activities. Missionaries everywhere are dis- 
covering that their success is largely wrapped up in mini- 
mizing denominational differences. They must all teach 
and preach the fundamentals. To my mind, part of the 
great value of the magnificent labor of the foreign workers 
for Christ will be found in its creating a common bond of 
spiritual sympathy and friendship among the churches in 
the home lands. 

After visiting many missionary centers the past few 
months in the Orient another thing is very apparent. It is 
that where the evangelical side of the Christian faith is em- 
phasized and preached — where Jesus is held up as the one 
sovereign cure for the sins of the world and the crucifixion 
accepted as the means appointed by God for the forgiveness 
and redemption of men — there the largest spiritual, numer- 
ical and material results are detected. The men and women 
who preach this doctrine have a message. It is a winning 
message. Most of the missionaries we meet with believe in 
it. They see that faith in the blood of Jesus the Son of God 
really does cleanse from sin ; and that obedience to the Spirit 
of God, which they also powerfully witness to, does actually 
preserve their converts from future sin. 




A Peking Street Barber. Note Stand for Hot 
Water, Tools, Etc. 




Boat Life in Canton. 



In the Heart of China. 75 

First Month 5. 

Probably about 300 students from the University and 
others selected from the nearby schools listened to a peace 
address this afternoon. As usual the young people were 
deeply interested. 

Some missionaries and Y. M. C. A. workers here, as in 
many other places, tell me of how leading- non-Christians 
come to them and say that the European war is conclusively 
proving to their minds that Christianity is a failure. These 
non-Christians say that the moral forces of Christianity are 
not sufficient to hold Christian civilization in check. Some 
of these men laugh the faith of Christ into derision. They 
claim to have lost respect for it, and some doubtless have. 
Others say, "You see there is nothing in your propaganda of 
love and faith — see how the rulers of your Christian nations, 
some of them members of the same families, plunge their 
peoples into war; see the Christians behaving toward each 
other like brutes. We know better than you. You come 
over here to tell us one thing, while your own people at home 
are doing exactly the reverse." Other Chinese say, "We 
must imitate you; we are afraid of you; we must build a 
great military machine of our own which will make us im- 
pregnable." 

I meet these superficial but natural arguments with prov- 
ing that Christianity is not a failure — that it does control 
the passions of men who submit to its sway — but we must 
admit that many professors of Christianity in this matter 
are failures. The forces that make for peace are 'still grow- 
ing and the conviction of Christians as to the sins of mili- 
tarism are constantly developing. Those who have the mind 
of Christ must stand firm. Just as slavery and other evils 
have gone down before the work of the living Christ, so war 
must ultimately be destroyed amongst civilized peoples. 

Everywhere university presidents, Y. M. C. A. secretaries 
and leading missionaries eagerly ask me to speak on peace. 
They seem to feel that at this critical period much of their 
success is locked up with being able to refute the condemna- 
tion of the critics of their faith. They are glad just now to 
have Christians from America come and preach the Gospel 



76 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

of Peace. Indeed, so often am I erroneously advertised to 
"preach on Peace," without authority from me, that the re- 
sult is both ludicrous and embarrassing at times. The only 
way under such circumstances is to frankly announce at the 
beginning of a meeting that it is intended to be a season of 
worship and that I cannot preach on peace that day unless I 
feel that such a message is granted me. I like to keep peace 
lectures and religious meetings separate and have them rec- 
ognized as such. But often in the Peace meetings the Gos- 
pel is preached, and this always seems to rejoice the hearts 
of our missionary friends. 

Wherever we go I make investigations regarding the effect 
of the war upon missionary effort. Contrary to the diverse 
theories or statements contained in missionary magazines 
or papers — some almost optimistic and others very pessi- 
mistic — I am — as before written — everywhere confronted 
with facts tending to show that Oriental Christian work is 
largely curtailed by the war. Reduced funds in many quar- 
ters and terrible criticism of the Christian profession are 
discouraging many workers abroad. So-called Christians 
all over the world are too filled with the spirit of revenge, 
and are too busily engaged in trying to kill one another to 
follow v/ith much ardor the propaganda that of all others is 
based on divine and human love. In some places I have 
found a distinctly cold and ironical attitude toward human- 
ity in general as indicated in the thought and conversation 
of ministers who hale from the nations now engaged in war. 
What else can we expect? 

First Month 6. 

We attended the service at Friends' Church, connected 
with the Friends' Mission, this afternoon, where a large con- 
gregation was present, mostly from the schools connected 
with the mission. I preached on the necessity of the new 
birth and what being born into the Kingdom of God implies. 
The house, as usual in China in winter, was very cold, with 
windows open on all four sides in spite of the terrible chill. 
I have suffered much in this country owing to the practice 
of keeping halls and churches unheated or open in the midst 
of winter. Everywhere I am warned by kind friends of the 



In the Heart of China. 77 

dangers to the unacclimated at this time of year. They in- 
form us that many visitors have died as a result of laboring 
hereabouts. I am only keeping at my work with the exer- 
cise of all the will-power possible. Sometimes I think it re- 
quires more courage to work when handicapped by imper- 
fect health than it does to face a machine gun ! 

First Month 12. 

We came to Shanghai on the fifth inst. and I have been 
ill. The dampness is very trying, and it seems necessary 
to get away into more favorable climatic conditions as soon 
as possible. I had anticipated much work in this busy city. 
My numerous introductions, and the earnest spirit of the 
Christian workers here, have flung wide open to me many 
doors for service, but they are all closed by reason of illness. 
Surely if God really intended work in Shanghai he would 
have given the strength to perform it. Possibly I have been 
mistaken in my apprehended call to work here. Ministers 
of the Gospel can easily make mistakes, and these errors are 
humiliating. I should not have gone to Hankow, and would 
then have reached here sooner than I did. 

It has been a source of regret to me not to have had the 
privilege of socially, or in connection with our work, meeting 
with many of the higher class of Chinese. I have been told 
that they often represent delightful attributes and generous 
hospitality. My introductions into China included few op- 
portunities to meet with them, and the missionaries and Y. 
M. C. A. men in this country do not seem to be quite as close- 
ly in touch with them as they are in Japan. 

The feeling of nationalism, of the need of justice toward 
their own country and of the bigness of international rela- 
tions is tremendously developing in China. As I have ad- 
dressed thousands of young Chinese the past weeks, I could 
not fail to be impressed with the belief that whatever wrongs 
may be meted out to China in the future from any source 
will in the long run react on those who take advantage of 
her. The "Golden Rule" is the method wherewith to win 
this wonderful country. The Chinese will respond thereto. 

The difference between the lower classes of Japan and 
China is most marked. During our eight weeks of life in 



7S A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

the former country I never met with a single intended dis- 
courtesy, and only one effort to take financial advantage of 
me from the many humble servitors upon whom the traveller 
is dependent in a foreign land. During a thus far almost 
similar period in China, we have found almost all rickshaw 
or sampan men or others of similar position disposed to over- 
charge, and resent efforts to treat them even more than fair- 
ly, and then they retire, apparently reviling us in their own 
language. This is only personal experience. In hotels or 
missionary homes or among the higher classes in both coun- 
tries true courtesy prevails among servants and employees 
— as we naturally expect. 

Just here I will refer to another matter. I have found 
that it is the common, but mistaken, impression that the 
Japanese banks are officered by Chinese because of the as- 
sumed superior integrity of the latter, and because the Jap- 
anese can not trust their own people with respect to handling 
money. The facts do not bear out these statements. Prob- 
ably these erroneous statements originate in the fact that 
the Chinese possess superior linguistic abilities and are em- 
ployed in the Yokohama and Kobe branches of the Hong- 
kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (British.Chinese) 
where many tourists in Japan do their banking business. 
Upon authority I can say that with possibly one or two ex- 
ceptions where contact with foreigners is demanded, there 
are no Chinese employed in Japanese banks in the latter 
country. A glance over the working force in the numer- 
ous very large banking institutions of Japan, or at the print- 
ed lists of their officials and directors, clearly reveals that 
their personnel is Japanese, both as to appearance and 
names. Again, when one attempts to buy goods outside of 
the few one-price shops in either Japan or China, we find 
that the margin between offering price and selling price is 
vastly broader in the latter country than in Japan. Some 
Chinese know how to ask big prices to a degree that I have 
not seen in any other country. This remark does not dis- 
credit the Chinese nation as a whole, for in it we have met 
with other men who have accorded us the most honorable 
treatment. It would seem to be an error to make invidious 
illustrations when comparing the two countries. 



X. 

SOUTHERN CHINA. 



First Month 19. 



On the 14th inst. we left Shanghai for Hongkong, but the 
steamship Nankin did not sail until the following day, as her 
steering apparatus was frozen because of the very cold 
weather. The cabins were uninhabitable, having no heat- 
ing facilities, but the dining saloon was warm, and in it I 
slept the first two nights of the voyage. 

There were thirteen first-cabin passengers, most of them 
en route for London. All the men, except W. B. H. and my- 
self, were middle-aged or j'oung Englishmen going to Eng- 
land to join the colors. They somewhat glibly talked about 
"getting at" the Germans. All these men were well be- 
haved, quiet gentlemen, but no doubt will be fully prepared, 
when at the front, to mangle and kill their fellow-men, blow 
enemies to atoms, stab and shoot, turn women and children 
out into pitiless weather, and wreck innocent homes, and in- 
dulge in other devilish acts that ordinarily would bring upon 
them the execration of hmPxanity. 

The harbor of Hongkong is very beautiful. Yesterday we 
came up the Pearl River to Canton — a charming little voyage 
of about six hours' duration. On our upper deck I noticed 
two soldiers with guns, evidently on guard, and asked the 
Captain, "Why do you have armed men on board?" He re- 
sponded, "Pirates." He proceeded to inform me that these 
waters are infested with pirates, and horrible tragedies have 
at times occurred, and went on to show how in various ways 
the ship we were on was prepared for attacks from them. 

(On our return trip from Canton the Captain conducted 
us over his vessel and showed us the great precautions taken 
against pirates. The second and third-class passengers were 
placed on different decks, and all separated from the upper 
decks and working parts of the ship by iron gates or bars. 



80 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

In addition the officers were all armed and six soldiers with 
rifles walked the upper deck where we stayed during the 
voyage. Barbed wire was strung over the sides of the ves- 
sel. All this seems to indicate the helplessness of this great 
country with respect to protecting its own citizens or for- 
eigners by means of the modern constabulary of civilized 
lands.) 

At Canton our hearts were made glad when we saw Dr. 
Wm. W. Cadbury on the wharf awaiting us. He brought us 
to his home, and at once entered into efforts to arrange for 
work in this city. 

First Month 20. 

We met probably about 250 girls at the morning assembly 
of the Ti^ue Light Seminary for Girls and Women, wherein 
I spoke to them on the subject of "Prayer." 

First Month 21. 

We had a good meeting with forty students of the Union 
Theological Seminary of Canton. 

First Month 22. 

This evening we had a meeting with 225 students of the 
Presbyterian School for Boys. I was expected to speak on 
peace, but preached the Gospel to them. 

Yesterday I was told a good story credited to my friend, 
the well-known missionary. Dr. Arthur H. Smith. The lat- 
ter had heard an address in which the speaker said that the 
need of the old-fashioned Christian doctrine and teaching 
had become obsolete because ethics and moral instruction 
and philosophic ideals were more suited to the needs and 
development of modern civilization. Dr. Smith remarked 
that you might as well say that condensed milk had reached 
such a state of perfection that there was no more need for 
the cow. 

First Month 23. 

Dr. Cadbury is much interested in the religious work con- 
nected with the Canton Hospital and Christian College, and 
this morning I spoke a little while to about forty patients at 
the former institution. They were a sorrowful looking 



Southern China. 81 

group with a few exceptions. Do many of them need Christ ? 
In the afternoon I addressed some 350 pupils in the Chapel 
of the Baptist Mission, just a short distance outside of the 
city. As everywhere a warm welcome awaited me as an ad- 
vocate of "Internationalism," which was my theme. 

First Month 24. 

It was our privilege to go last night to the residence 
of Dr. C. K. Edmunds and enjoy the family life in his house. 
He is President of the Christian College of Canton. There 
I to-day, at the regular First-day morning service, spoke to 
about 200 students, the faculty and others, on "Peace." My 
appeal was largely based on the ultimate triumph of the spir- 
itual over the material forces in civilization, and was a call 
to the young men present, who are being developed in the 
leading educational institution of South China, to enlist 
themselves in the ranks of the army of the Prince of Peace. 

In the evening a short message was delivered by me to 
about 150 missionaries at a missionary meeting, held in the 
residence of Dr. Cadbury, and it seemed acceptable to them, 
although I apprehend that a definite note of warning accom- 
panied it. 

Canton is a fascinating city, said to contain about one mil- 
lion five hundred thousand population. The streets are very 
narrow and sedan chairs can pass or meet only with great 
difficulty. The tide of humanity ebbs and flows through 
these devious passages all the day. The boat life of the 
city is its most remarkable feature. The river and canals 
are crowded with junks, sampans and little craft propelled 
by steam. It is estimated that 200,000 people live on the 
little vessels and sampans. They are born, live and die on 
the water. Their livelihood is secured by transporting 
freight or carrying passengers for the smallest charges. 

Observing the personal habits of these water people is ex- 
ceedingly interesting. Generally a man, his wife and family 
constitute the crew. All ply oars — sometimes two will work 
one oar. The women wear trousers, and are agile at every 
sort of manual labor. The heads of the babies, who are fas- 
tened to the backs of their mothers, jerk to and fro at every 
turn of the oars. Those babies' heads must be screwed onto 



82 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

their small bodies very tightly. The smallest children are 
tethered so they will not fall overboard. In one corner of 
these boats will be the kitchen, wherein is the place for a 
fire, a brass teakettle and a pot in which to boil rice. Some- 
times the cooking outfit is a little larger. Some prettily 
painted cups and saucers and a few plates and chopsticks 
complete the equipment of the commissary department. 
The part of these sampans which are covered with hoods 
are often adorned with pictures or mottos from the litera- 
ture of China. Often gay little flags flutter in the breeze 
right alongside of the garments that are hung out to dry. 
Everything is most scrupulously clean; the tiny decks are 
constantly scrubbed and washed. These river people are re- 
garded as of the lowest social scale in this country, yet they 
have their own ideas of propriety. They perform their laun- 
dering in the yellow waters of the Pearl River, and have 
also adopted the toothbrush of more favored peoples and re- 
ligiously clean their teeth in the same dubious fluid. They 
certainly represent the simple life. 

Our days in China are fast drawing to a close. The con- 
dition of the poor has deeply impressed me. We see but few 
beggars. The great majority toil for a pittance. The equiv- 
alent of ten cents a day in American money suffices for a 
usual daily wage. But even allowing for the difference be- 
tween the purchasing power of money in China and the 
United States, the margin between starvation and a little 
here is terribly narrow. Dirt abounds. People buy in the 
markets an ounce of meat or the wing of a fowl. The food 
is vastly different in separate parts of the country, and is 
regulated by the climatic conditions of each. Although the 
poor eat much rice they are able in different localities to vary 
this diet with such foods as beans and vegetables, sweet po- 
tatoes, millet used as porridge or baked into cakes, pickled 
turnips and carrots, sugar cane or corn. The more well-to- 
do add to their diet some of the products of wheat, beef, 
of which they utilize parts of the animals which foreigners 
would consider unfit to eat, and game or fowl. Candy made 
of millet is very good, but you wonder about its history, dur- 
ing manufacture, whilst you eat it. The rich people of 




A "Slipper Boat" at Canton. 




On the Pasig River at Manila. 



Southern China. 83 

China, as in all lands, live well. But there are very, very 
few rich people in China. 

As we have passed through China we have heard much 
of the reputed venality of oflicials. We are told that most 
of them used to, and many still, operate under the system of 
"squeeze". What is squeeze? It is the often illegitimate 
and frequently secret commissions that are exacted and re- 
tained in business transactions and in connection with the 
collection and distribution of the public revenue. It is a 
universal system. The servant buying for his master has 
his "squeeze". The man who sells to a tourist adds to the 
price of his wares enough additional charge to pay "squeeze" 
to the confidential friend or guide who may have recom- 
mended him to the intending purchaser. The officials often 
get squeeze from everybody instead of salaries. The more 
you can retain in such ways the richer and more honorable 
you become. I heard of one notable exception when in Nan- 
king. The manager of the Exposition held in that city a 
year or so ago was widely remarked upon because he did 
not avail himself of his great opportunities to "squeeze". 
He is a Christian. 

The adherents of Yahn Shih-kai control Canton with an 
iron hand. Suspicions of disloyalty to the President means 
instant death without process of law. Here is a case which 
there is no evidence was authorized by him, but which illus- 
trates the methods of his viceroy. The latter one day in- 
vited the Chief of Police of Canton to tiffin at his home, and 
at the conclusion of the meal told his guest that he was to 
be shot. The unfortunate city official, who had really insti- 
tuted numerous reforms in Canton, was immediately taken 
from the palace of his host and executed. 

It must be a source of humiliation to the right-thinking 
people of this great country to see foreign soldiers guard- 
ing so many railways, and to see them so conspicuous in the 
foreign concessions of their great cities. It is apparent evi- 
dence that many of the Chinese do not trust themselves to 
administer their own affairs, or are not trusted by foreign 
governments. Probably just plain "grab" on the part of the 
foreign powers is responsible for this condition. It at least 



84 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

reveals the helplessness of their own authorities with re- 
spect to controlling their own soil. It is one of the evidences 
of the lack of unity throughout the vast dominion. The 
record of the treatment of China by the United States is 
generally clean and fair, and the Chinese appreciate it. We, 
too, may be thankful because of that record. 

Another evidence of the need of solidarity in China is 
found in the lack of a uniform system of currency. The 
traveler goes from city to city and everywhere finds a dif- 
ferent monetary standard. Bank-notes or silver coins that 
are good in one province are very likely not negotiable in 
adjacent provinces. Everywhere the tourist or merchant is 
compelled to pay to bankers or money-changers the most 
outrageous commissions for exchange of funds. This is one 
of the many annoyances associated with travel in China. 
The government seems unable to cope with this fundamental 
evil which is apparently maintained by the great financial 
institutions for their own profit. 

As in so many countries that are non-Christian the ap- 
pearance of the old people calls forth the sympathy of our 
little party. In Japan and China the poorer women look old 
and wrinkled at the age of forty. Are they without hope 
and without God in the world ? Yet China has religious peo- 
ple. The shops of Canton, and often the sampans on the 
river, have little shrines, in one corner, in which incense is 
burned at least once a day. These off'erings are frequently 
made to the god of earth and to the god of wealth. Whilst 
missionaries report that the young people often remarkably 
respond to spiritual appeals, and are open to spiritual under- 
standing, the general life and thought of China is essential- 
ly materialistic. 

The people are eager to listen to a ministry which will 
point the way to better material conditions — their cry often 
is, "What can I get out of religion?" It has been my lot to 
preach in many places that material benefits may not alto- 
gether develop from obedience to the spiritual religion of 
Jesus Christ, but can only be fully expected by those who 
love and confess the Savior for his own dear name's sake. 
What this huge toiling, suffering country needs is Christ! 



Southern China, 85 

Then the material development will naturally follow the spir- 
itual uplift. The hope of these teeming millions is bound up 
with the success of the self-denying missionaries who, un- 
der the constraint of Christ, are teaching and praying in 
their midst. 

First Month 26. 

My wife, accompanied by two ladies of the college and a 
man missionary, whilst being conveyed through the narrow 
streets of Canton in sedan chairs, were suddenly dropped by 
their chair-bearers, who vociferously demanded more pay, 
A veritable riot ensued, and they soon were followed by a 
howling mob which, as if by magic, accumulated and jammed 
all traffic. Finally they found refuge in a shop until the po- 
lice interfered. Then the party walked a long distance to 
the hospitable home of Dr. Cadbury, 

Yesterday was a day of rest. We were interested in vis- 
iting a large hospital for the insane, where Dr. Sheldon, who 
devotes his life to the service of these 500 unfortunates, most 
kindly conducted us around. This hospital was founded by 
Dr. John E. Kerr, and is one of the many splendid institu- 
tions of Canton owing their existence to Christian labor and 
love. 

Our union meeting in the Second Presbyterian Church 
this afternoon resulted in some 350 persons attending. I 
thought I had clearly arranged with the good brother who 
conducted the meeting, that it was to be held in the conserv- 
ative Friends' way. But he could not forego the joy of song, 
and three hymns were sung. Still, good periods of silent 
prayer or waiting on God were afforded, and I preached on 
the peace of God, and how and where restless men can find 
happiness — even in Christ. 

I am glad to feel that some of the difficulties connected 
with arranging for and prosecuting Christian work through 
even good interpreters is drawing to a close. 

Dr. Cadbury tells us of a Christian friend of his, a Chinese 
of wealth and culture, and of a splendid spirit, who was re- 
cently married according to the usual Christian ritual. 
When the wedding parts'" repaired to the house where the 
reception was to be held, a hymn was sung, the Bible read. 



86 A Quaker Diary in the Orient, 

a prayer offered, and then the company sat down to the 
wedding feast. How real the rehgion of Jesus is to those 
who are really converted to Him! 

First Month 28. 

At a conference of some 120 of the missionaries of Can- 
ton to-day, most of the time was devoted to the subject of 
the effect of the war on missions. The two programmed 
speakers were from one of the warring nations, and were 
very optimistic as to the great good to Christian effort, and 
the extension of Christ's Kingdom, which they felt would 
develop from the beastly conflict. Their principal apology 
for the war, when dealing with non-Christians, was to sug- 
gest to the latter that the States of Europe were really not 
Christian nations. This is true, but contradicts their ex- 
pressed belief that war may sometimes be right. One of the 
speakers interested in the war said that Christianity was 
"a religion of ideals, not one of principles." Attention was 
called to the fact that this war has been prosecuted in nu- 
merous missionary districts throughout the world. 

I was asked to address the meeting and felt compelled to 
take issue with some of the assumptions made by our apolo- 
getic and optimistic brethren. Many afterward declared 
their gratitude because I had made the address I had, yet in 
a way not to create discord. During, or at the close of the 
discussion, such remarks were made as, "We are feeling the 
strain of this awful war" ; and again, "God will bring about a 
solution, not because of the war itself, but because of His 
own self." Again, "Those who say that they do not believe 
in the teaching of Tolstoi can not believe in the teaching of 
Christ, because Tolstoi only taught what Christ did about 
war." Some seemed to feel that the non-Christian Chinese 
people talked or thought little about the war — some gave 
facts to prove exactly the reverse. One missionary told of 
how one of his people going to worship asked a man to attend 
the Christian service with him. The reply was, "I am not a 
man-killer!" 

First Month 29. 

Yesterday we left Dr. Cadbury and came to Hongkong. 
Dr. Cadbury, along with the other missionaries, is doing a 



Southern China. 87 

signal work in Canton, which his home friends can Httle 
understand or appreciate. We parted from him with regret. 

First Month 31. 

A sHght illness precludes working in Hongkong to-day. I 
heard to-day of a certain foreign union prayer meeting held 
not long ago in a big Oriental city at which a prominent dig- 
nitary in one of the churches of one of the nations now en- 
gaged in war spoke, and at which some of his opponents, by 
special invitation, were present. The said dignitary in the 
course of his opening remarks took occasion to bitterly refer 
to the enemies of his own land, adding, "There can be no 
peace of the world except by the triumph of our arms." 
Then he repeated the Lord's prayer, "Thy will be done" ; and 
my informant, a well-known Christian worker, added that he 
never felt so like crying as he thought of the unchristian at- 
titude of this exponent of the religion of Jesus. The situa- 
tion was partly relieved when an old missionary of thirty 
years' residence in China, whose nation was also involved, 
soon afterward offered a prayer in which he exclaimed, "0 
Lord, may Thy will be done, even though it hits us." 

Many misunderstandings between peoples of various races 
are the outcome of difference in language. The wife of Gil- 
bert Bowles illustrated this by telling me how she once ob- 
served an altercation between an Englishman and a Japanese 
rickshaw-man. She listened, and found that the Japanese 
was trying to impart information to the Englishman in order 
to help him, whilst the latter thought that the former was 
demanding more money and repeatedly gave him additional 
coin, which the Japanese did not desire. They both meant 
well, yet almost came to blows over the matter, until M. P. B. 
intervened and explained the situation to both men. 

Foreigners in China do not treat the Chinese as they 
should in many instances. Missionary effort is sadly handi- 
capped by this fact. 



XL 
THE PHILIPPINES. 

Second Month 8. 

We had a hard time getting to Manila. Twice the ships 
we had engaged passage on were taken out of the service, 
but finally we got off on a "toothpick," as my wife called it, 
the steamship Kueichow, a little craft of 2000 tons, and with 
only four cabins for first-class passengers, a tiny dining 
saloon, etc., all heaped together, and quite without, to us, 
at least, ventilating facilities for disagreeable weather. My 
wife was the only woman on board. I had been ill, the hu- 
midity distressing, and altogether our little voyage from 
Hongkong commenced under depressing conditions. No- 
body had given the China Sea a good name. Happily after 
the first twenty-four hours we had a smooth sea, and were 
hourly thankful for it. Our engine pushed us along at only 
eight knots an hour; so the trip which usually consumes 
forty-eight hours took almost 4 days for us. I could eat but 
little of the fare provided, and glad we were to land yester- 
day meaning and to receive a warm greeting from our friend, 
Prof. Alvin J. Cox, who speedily took us in his motor-car to 
a pleasant boarding-house which he had selected for us. In 
the drier air of Manila, and with things I can eat, I am im- 
proving and hope to soon be ready for work. 

Nothing interesting occurred on the ship unless it was the 
discussions participated in by all hands on things relating to 
this world and the next. One young man at tiffin one day 
briskly challenged my use of the word "providence". I 
made no reply until another said, "You do not seem very 
willing to dispute what he says." I replied, "I have learned 
that there is not much use in arguing with any man who 
flys in the face of the simplest facts in the creation, and is 
so foolish as to claim that he does not believe in a God." 
Then I took my turn detailing the miracles of prophecy, and 



The Philippines. 89 

putting question after question to the would-be non-believer, 
following it by telling those present of statements made by 
Sir Oliver Lodge, and others, acknowledging their inability 
to base spiritual truths on recently questioned scientific so- 
called facts, and Sir Oliver's admission, over one year ago, 
that many scientific beliefs that have been in vogue for a 
good many decades must be recast. My young opponent re- 
minded me, and I told him courteously thereof, of the old 
Quaker who met a doubting youth who declared that he 
would not believe in anything that did not appeal to his 
senses. The old Friend asked, "Hast thou ever seen thy 
brains?" "No," was the reply. "Hast thou ever smelled 
thy brains?" "No." "Hast thou ever tasted thy brains?" 
Reluctantly again came the answer, "No." Then followed 
the inquiry, "Art thou sure that thou hast any brains ?" 

Our conversation concluded by my speaking of the fact 
that many do not want to believe in a God because they dare 
not bring their lives in conformity to His laws or go through 
the processes of repentance and a changed life. Above all, 
they are so very foolish as to bar themselves out of the joy 
and peace in believing which upholds them in this life and 
qualifies them for that which is to come. Possibly I was on 
that trying little voyage for the purpose of giving a few 
young men something to think about before they entered 
into the temptations of their colonial career. They were 
nice young fellows. 

One small table in the little dining-saloon was filled with 
Americans, and the other one with Chinamen. The latter 
were educated gentlemen, and most agreeable to meet with. 
The Americans were mostly assertive, talked loudly, some 
used indifferent grammar and could eat a course dinner in 
about twenty minutes. The Chinese were almost exactly 
the reverse as to table manners. Yet most of the Ameri- 
cans eyed the Orientals suspiciously or refused to talk direct- 
ly to them when they met on our meager deck space. I was 
a "go-between." If our country is to get its share of com- 
merce in the Far East, and wield the influence there that we 
ought to in many respects, our people must be taught to as- 
sume a different attitude from what many of them do toward 
other races. A broad Christian spirit is our only hope. 



90 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

Second Month 11. 

We have passed a good deal of the past two days in pre- 
senting introductions and arranging for future work. The 
educational institutions are most open with respect to lis- 
tening to addresses on peace. I had expected not to under- 
take such labor in Manila, or little of it ; but in the face of 
such an open door into institutions which are likely to affect 
the future thought and action of this country I dare not re- 
fuse to engage in this work for Christ. 

This morning we visited what is probably one of the larg- 
est public primary schools in the world — the Meisic School 
of Manila. It boasts 3,100 pupils and sixty-five teachers, 
most of the latter Filipinos. At 10 o'clock it was an inspir- 
ing sight to see the bright-eyed youngsters lined up in the 
long porticos around the great square, in the center of the 
building, and at a given signal make a rush for the luncheon 
counters in the middle of the square. Then there was much 
munching and playing. Most of the little boys — about 2,000 
of them — were dressed in white, whilst the girls were at- 
tired in the brilliant and picturesque garments that so be- 
come the natives of this interesting city. 

Second Month 12. 

At 7:30 a.m. we were on the platform of the Normal 
School facing about 800 prospective teachers. Men predom- 
inated, which is unusual in institutions of that character. I 
spoke on international peace. I was frequently applauded 
when making appeals to obey the law of righteousness felt 
in the human heart, and to carry their influence on behalf 
of good out into their fields of future effort. 

Second Month 13. 

A crowded assembly room, with many standing, bore wit- 
ness to the interest felt in the international peace question 
by the students of the University of the Philippines, where 
I spoke to-day. As on the preceding day, my address seemed 
to give great satisfaction to the faculty. 

A ride to Los Banos yesterday was very interesting. The 
countryside is most picturesque. Town succeeds town in 
rapid succession. Quaint old churches, with the priests' 




In Old Manila. 




A NiPA House in the Philippines. 



The Philippines. 91 

houses attached, and the municipal buildings, all sheltered 
by tropical foliage and surrounding the plazas in the center 
of these towns, constitute the central feature of interest to 
the hastening visitor. The homes of the well-to-do are of 
Spanish architecture, except where a modern type resulting 
from American occupation has crept in. The houses of the 
poor are of bamboo frames fastened with bamboo or rattan 
cords and covered with Nipa. They are exceedingly inflam- 
mable, and a friend has told me how, during a fire, she once 
saw 300 burned up in one hour. They are built on high 
posts, and beneath the first floors wagons can be stored and 
children play. Wide windows are opened during the day, 
and inside can be seen all the family furniture, and life, but 
at night these windows are closed, resulting in an appalling 
record throughout the country with respect to tuberculosis. 
Often a fanciful bamboo fence separates these simple homes 
from the roadway. Few flowers are seen. Yet even the 
most indigent have their ideas of decoration. In every coun- 
try of the world — so it seems to me — ^^the people of all races 
feel like the French poet who said, "If I had but two sous in 
the world, with one I would buy bread, with the other a 
hyacinth, for the hyacinth would feed my soul." This spirit 
is discerned throughout the poverty-stricken Orient. 

At the Agricultural College at x\labang, we stopped for 
lunch. Every courtesy was extended to us, and when some 
of the young men found who I was, they pressed me to ad- 
dress them, promising an improvised company of over 300 
listeners if I would talk on peace. 

Around Manila the stranger is impressed with the school 
life of the Philippines. In the city some fine modern build- 
ings devoted to education are most impressive as denoting 
the possibilities of the American Administration. Out in 
the country, old school buildings are filled with swarms of 
happy children who are acquiring a modern education such 
as their parents never dreamed of. Most of these children 
speak English. A definite standard of dress and manners is 
demanded of them. The most astonishing thing is their de- 
votion to American games. Everywhere is that grand old 
game of baseball played. Even the girls play it. The effect 



92 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

upon the rising generation is marked in many ways. The 
physical size and mental power of the young people has per- 
ceptibly developed, according to statistics and measurements, 
within the past fifteen years. Baseball takes the place of 
cock-fights among the young. In driving around the coun- 
try we often see men fondly holding roosters in their arms, 
and in groups, evidently discussing the prowess of their pets. 
You do not see boys preparing for the pastime. People 
hereabouts inform me that the cock-pits are now almost al- 
together patronized by the older men. I was told the other 
day that "even the old men who hold on to their roosters 
will go to watch a baseball game, and do not indulge in the 
cock-pit as they used to." All this speaks loudly in praise of 
the American educational system. 

Sometimes when driving through the country near sun- 
down the villages are alive with little children arrayed in 
very abreviated costumes — often one garment extending 
down to their knees. It is enough in a climate where in win- 
ter you feel like sitting down whenever you can, and where, 
at noon-time, repose of several hours is fashionable. These 
little folks wave their small brown hands at us and in chorus 
call out "hello" in the purest American accent. 

Second Month 14. 

Last night we were most generously entertained at the at- 
tractive home of Prof. Wm. T. Hilles, a Friend. Another 
Friend, Dr. Alvin J, Cox, of the Bureau of Science, has been 
exceedingly hospitable and kind to us. We have met with 
most sincere courtesy from manj^ Americans in Manila. 

This morning found us at the M. E. service for native Fil- 
ipinos. All are young people, and most of them are con- 
nected with the University. Their pastor, E. S. Lyons, in- 
formed me that about seventy-five people present represent- 
ed eight or nine different dialects, and that a good many of 
them could not understand the speech of each other, but that 
all understood English. After the preliminary exercises the 
meeting was turned over to me, and conducted as a Friends' 
meeting for worship, after I had explained our method. I 
spoke on "Faith" from Hebrews 11 : 24, and my sermon was 
preceded by a long period of silent waiting on God. This 



The Philippines. 93 

was very impressive. In many lands and with many races, 
and among- people of vastly different creeds, I have proved 
that the Friends' way of worship is so broad and inclusive 
that those of most diverse faiths and practice can together 
participate in it. They can all unite in silent prayer or wait- 
ing on God. We had a good meeting. 

Second Month 16. 

Last night we were entertained at the home of G. W. 
Wright, a leading missionary. We were the guests of the 
Evangelical Union of Manila. After a social time, in which 
about 35 people participated, I was called upon to speak to 
the company. I had felt most decidedly that a message was 
required of me, which I endeavored to deliver — a word of 
encouragement and suggestion. Afterward, some simple 
refreshments concluded a most agreeable occasion. It did 
me good to be with them. 

My discriminating wife declares that the sundaes of Ma- 
nila are very good. Indeed, for months we have sometimes 
been favored with excellent ice-cream made from condensed 
cream. Milk from the "iron cow" is not bad. 

This morning I addressed the high school on "Interna- 
tional Peace". The student body constituted 600 young people 
and, as usual, they manifested intense interest. The Fili- 
pino audiences are more emotional and applaud much more 
easily than do those of China. A curious indication of the 
national temperament was manifested when I happened to 
refer to the sufferings of women in times of war. About 
half the students looked very sober, but the resi of them 
giggled. At the conclusion of the lecture one of the audi- 
ence remarked upon the different mental attitude of many 
Filipinos toward trouble from that of Americans. For in- 
stance, a young person will, with smiles, announce that 
he or she has just lost a parent by death. A teacher in 
one of the schools of Manila told me recently that when 
she was going over a lesson she spoke of how Ghazan Khan 
had some of his enemies thrown into a caldron of boiling oil. 
Immediately the whole class laughed outright. She asked, 
"Why do you laugh ? Would you like to be thrown into boil- 



94 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

ing oil?" They responded, "No." At the same time the 
thought of suffering amused them very much. 

Our intercourse with the educators of Manila has deeply 
impressed me with the feeling that whilst many of them are 
not church people, or identified with the missionary move- 
ment, they are at the same time animated by the most sin- 
cere interest in the moral and even religious advancement of 
the students under their control. The true missionary spirit 
is in some respects discovered in many of these teachers, and 
they gladly welcome the aid of outside workers who appeal 
to the better emotions of the heart. Some of them have 
warmly thanked me for my public advocacy of the religion 
of Christ as the hope of humanity. They tell me that God, 
and trust in Him, are too little spoken of in the schools of 
the Philippines, as, unfortunately, is the case in those of the 
home-land. These men are no doubt correct. 

We go from place to place in "calessas," which are peculiar 
to this country. They are much like old-fashioned chaises, 
and have broad seats between the two big wheels, whilst the 
drivers sit on little seats in front, close to the dashers. 
Sturdy ponies pull these vehicles. It is impossible to walk 
much in this climate. 

We see United States army and navy men patronizing 
these calessas very much. By the way, a few days ago a 
well-known man in Manila — whose name is nowhere men- 
tioned in this diary — gave me an interesting description of 
how excitement reigned among the officers of the army and 
navy one year ago, when our country was so close to war 
with Mexico. My informant stated that some of these pub- 
lic servants were heard to say, "Now, we will have promo- 
tion," or "Now we will have a chance to get better pay." 
But when their hopes of advancement were destroyed by the 
peaceful attitude of the Washington Government, they were 
very bitter in denouncing President Wilson for refusing to 
embark our country into war with Mexico. Men in the 
army or navy often include most attractive personalities, but 
professionalism is naturally strong among them. Does this 
bode ill for the democracy of America? 



XII. 
SOUTHWARD BOUND. 

Second Month 18. 

At 12:15 noon to-day we left the pier at Manila on the 
beautiful Japanese steamship Hitachi Maru for Australia. 
Our kind friends, Wm. T. Hilles and wife, came down to see 
us off. 

Probably 75 attenders at the Union Church service last 
night seemed glad to hear an address on the relation of the 
church to militarism. At the conclusion of the meeting a 
few questions were asked regarding the present war. I 
never encourage discussion on this subject — ^^there are too 
many emotions and prejudices represented in a mixed audi- 
ence to make it helpful. As we were separating, a few men 
encouraged me by expressing their pleasure because of "the 
spiritual note to the address." One young man, dressed in 
the uniform of the United States navy, came forward, and 
was evidently laboring under much excitement, as he pro- 
tested that the great European war was necessary. Before 
we parted he said, "I have just two months more in the 
navy — then I go home." I asked where he came from. 
"Iowa," he responded. "A great State," said I ; "they grow 
fine men in Iowa." "Yes," he replied, "and I will be back 
in the navy inside of a year in the war." I asked, "What 
war?" He exclaimed, "In a war the United States will 
have. We will be at war inside of a year." Then with an 
expression of disgust he added, "We would have been at war 
before this if it had not been for Wilson. He is afraid," 
laying great emphasis on the word "afraid". I told him 
that the people of American generally thought that Presi- 
dent Wilson had manifested great bravery, and advised thLs 
young lire-eater to "get into God's eternal quiet." His hp 
quivered, and he understood what I meant. So much for 
our peace-loving navy which we are soberly told desires new 



96 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

guns and battleships only that we may enjoy peace with the 
rest of the world ! 

I regretted not seeing more of Bishop Brent, who was ab- 
sent from Manila, but returned in time for us to call the 
day before sailing. He is a power in the Philippines. It 
was a pleasure to listen to his presentation of personal con- 
viction as he conducted us through the beautiful garden of 
the Episcopal residence. All through the Orient I have seen 
that whilst there is naturally a great difference in Christian 
laborers, some of God's best workmen have been chosen and 
sent by Him into the foreign field. 

Manila has treated us very well. I landed there eleven 
da>s ago suffering so much with neuralgia in the stomach 
that I was afraid the port quarantine doctor would see my 
distress as I was compelled to stand in line for examination 
and that he would mistake my trouble for some disease 
which would impel him to refuse permission to the ship's 
company to land. Anyhow, I got on land, and the dry air, 
even if hot, has wonderfully benefited me. Unexpected op- 
portunities for work have developed. I have actually been 
able to play the tourist a little and see some of the beauties 
of this tropical land. So we leave the broad streets of new 
Manila with its American improvements, and the charming 
old architecture of the Spanish regime, with regret. Our 
hearts are afresh filled with gratitude to God because of His 
mercies to us. 

The revolutionary talk, and efforts, in the Philippines at 
the present time is creating apprehension in some quarters 
and is treated with contempt in others. It seems strange 
just at the moment when the Washington Government is 
endeavoring to grant larger liberty to the people of the isl- 
ands that efforts to promote insurrections should be discov- 
ered. On the face of it there would seem reason for think- 
ing that these little revolts are instigated by mercenary men 
who do not wish their present influence diminished, and who 
desire to prove at this juncture the political irresponsibility 
of the Filipinos. On the other hand, even if such be the 
case, I very much question if the Filipinos will, for a genera- 
tion, be able to govern themselves. Too few of them have 



Southward Bound. 97 

the education, ideals, or common dialect, or the political poise 
and temperament to successfully continue the work that has 
been carried on by our country. We have done a few mil- 
lions of Filipinos much service, particularly with respect to 
education and developing their cities. But I feel that we 
have impaired the ideals of one hundred millions of our own 
people by holding colonies, at first against their will, and, 
subsequently, subjecting them by processes of force which 
our own country resented being applied to itself in the be- 
ginning of its career. Their civil administration does not 
cost the United States any financial outlay. But unhappily 
our control of them affords an excuse to the military party 
in the United States to advocate a big navy, wherewith to 
presumably protect them, and this carries with it a huge 
national expenditure and the development of a system and 
military aristocracy which may yet become a menace to 
the republic. 

Second Month 20. 

Our ship called at Zamboariga to-day. It is at the south- 
ern corner of the Philippine group. We had just one hour 
ashore. It is a beautiful little city. Close by the landing- 
are the custom house, Governor's residence, treasury and 
postoffice, all in a lovely setting of flowers and palms. We 
went up to the Moro part of the town, where were to be seen 
the gaily attired Moros, with their brilliant head-dresses or 
fezs. Here we took a few snap-shots and then rushed to 
the boatlanding. Soon thereafter the Hitachi Maru bore us 
away to the sunny southern seas. 

The past two days have been largely engaged in revising 
the great post of thirty-three letters and many other pack- 
ages that awaited us when we boarded our ship at Manila. 
It is with the barbarian's joy I observed that a few of our 
most cultured correspondents make mistakes in spelling, for 
I am myself a terrible speller. They write Manila with two 
I's, and Philippines with two I's and one p, so for just once in 
my life I excell them in spelling. 

Second Month 22. 

Last night we passed the equator at half past one o'clock. 
My wife and I went out on deck later in the morning, and 



98 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

saw the creamy foam speed by the ship beneath us, and 
watched the tropical glory of the stars above. One magnifi- 
cent planet reflected its marvelous light in the tossing waters 
— a broad band of sun reflecting silver from the horizon to 
our feet. See what one of the smallest stars can do! As 
for the firmament, I remember that it is written of the Cre- 
ator: 

He counteth the number of the stars, 
He calleth them all by name ; 
Great is our Lord and mighty in power, 
His understanding is infinite. 

— (Psalms 147:4-5) 

As we leave the Orient, the faithfulness of the Christian 
workers in that part of the world stands out as a ray of 
living light against a background of danger and darkness. 
The missionaries are the hope of China and Japan. A non- 
Christian civilization in those countries can not attain to the 
height of a Christian civilization and will be but an imitation 
of the latter. A genuine belief in Christ and resulting obe- 
dience to the moral code that He enjoined can make the only 
sure basis for spiritual and material prosperity. The mis- 
sionaries are the pioneers of civilization — and international 
trade, biblical teaching, and domestic happiness follow in 
their wake. Whilst confronted with difficult problems, fre- 
quently separated from their children and denied many of 
the privileges of the home land, they yet are the happiest 
of women and men. I can not but extol the courage and 
faith with which they carry the glad tidings, and physical 
and medical assistance, to these almost Christless nations 
abroad. 

Associated with them are the Y. M. C. A. workers. Their 
Bible and industrial classes, and lectures on religious and 
moral questions, attract the attendance of many non-Chris- 
tian students, merchants and clerks, a large part of whom 
ultimately find membership in the churches. The attend- 
ance at these classes has of late, in those Y. M. C. A.'s where 
spiritual work is emphasized, been rapidly increasing. I 
have noted that in those cities where less attention is paid to 




In the Heart of Manila. 



5=^ 




One of the Old Gates of Manila, 



J 
I 



Southward Bound. 99 

religious work in the Y. M. C. A.'s of the Orient the mem- 
bership is less and enthusiasm lags. It is truly the case, as 
a prominent secretary recently wrote me, that "thousands 
realize as never before that sterling character is China's 
greatest need, and that the power of Christ is the only thing 
that can enable us to attain it." I can in this little diary 
bear witness to the physical and spiritual labor poured out 
upon the people of the Orient by men and women connected 
with the Y. M. C. A.'s who, for the love of Christ, have uti- 
lized all the financial and spiritual forces at their command 
on behalf of the young men of the Far East. These young 
people will before many years control the destinies of their 
respective countries. The influence for good exercised upon 
them by the Y. M. C. A.'s, and through them to very many 
more, can never be estimated. 

Second Month 26. 

We went ashore one hour at Thursday Island to-day. 
Now we approach Australia. About one year ago I sent 
word to my friends in Philadelphia that I believed that work 
on behalf of my Savior was required of me in the Far East 
and in some portions of Australasia, but that I could not de- 
fine its anticipated nature or extent. As the time for enter- 
ing into it approached I could only ignore the war and inform 
my friend, W. B. Harvey, that I felt we should proceed to 
Japan as originally intended. We have had a good deal of 
the gospel service that we had expected in connection with 
the trip, and in addition I have had the burden connected 
with the peace work, which, one year ago, was not contem- 
plated. The numerous conferences, addresses and much 
writing associated with the peace question have been absorb- 
ing, but many of these occasions have been times when the 
Divine Power was present. [I dare not, at this date, differ- 
entiate between gospel and peace work.] In all I trust that 
I have been led by Him — all helps to extend His imperishable 
Kingdom. 

Second Month 28. 

Since leaving Thursday Island my wife and I have had our 
first experience in many years of travel of being insulted 



100 A Quaker Diary in the Orient. 

by men and women simply because we are Americans. 
Even the Japanese everywhere had treated us with the 
greatest courtesy, although we were in their country at a 
time when it was seething with resentment based on past 
and apprehended anti-Japanese legislation in California. 
Not once while in Japan did I hear a word of discourtesy 
or reproach regarding Germany, with which country Japan 
was at war. The Japanese are non-Christians! Now we 
are among "Christians." The newspapers of Australia, 
brought aboard at Thursday Island, contained false "infor- 
mation" and insulting comments regarding the United 
States, growing out of the difficulties involved in the neutral 
position of our country. Our fellow-passengers were much 
excited and have been very rude toward us. This is a most 
extraordinary position to assume by our Australian friends, 
as the sympathy in America during the war has been almost 
altogether with England. It is bad policy to insult your 
friends. Our personal experiences have been exceedingly 
unpleasant the past few days. The psychological and moral 
lapses developing from the hatreds and sins of war make 
men and women do and say things that they would certainly 
be ashamed of in their sober moments. 

Under these annoying circumstances I felt we should have 
a Friends' meeting for worship on the ship to-day. W. B. 
Harvey heartily joined in the suggestion. All the passen- 
gers absented themselves, except a man and his son who 
sit opposite us at meals, and the Captain, a Japanese Shinto- 
ist. After a period of silent devotion, I, in a simple way, 
spoke of Christ. At the conclusion of our little service the 
Captain invited us to his room to show us pictures, and re- 
galed the minute ex-congregation with lemonade. This I 
could not but recognize was his courteous method of express- 
ing sympathy for us. 

Third Month 1. 

We called at Townsville to-day. Whilst speeding in the 
tender towards the wharf, I glanced over my clothing and 
recalled that it represented the cosmopolitan life I have led 
for many years. My hat was bought in San Jose, Califor- 
nia ; its band in Hongkong ; collar in Philadelphia ; underwear 



Southward Bound. 101 

in Redlands; duck suit — coat and trousers — in Porto Rico; 
negligee shirt in London ; stockings in Philadelphia ; shoes in 
Oakland, and shoe-strings in Peking, China. Where the 
handkerchief came from I could not remember, but know 
that these useful articles generally appear at the holiday 
season ! 

Third Month 4. 

At the Brisbane customs house we had the unique experi- 
ence of having two young sailors with dirty hands invading 
almost every corner of our luggage, opening little boxes or 
laboriously investigating the most sacred of our personal 
effects. The results were both ridiculous and exasperating. 
One of them advised us to not show our United States flags, 
which were in the trays of our steamer trunks, "around 
here." Then our belongings were trundled across weeds 
and lifted over rails to the luggage van. 

Upon arriving at the Brisbane pier early in the morning, 
whilst my wife was alone in her cabin, dressing, an officer 
representing the customs demanded entrance, and went 
through the formality of examination lest any Chinamen be 
secreted there. Invasion of the privacy of first-class, or 
any other accommodation, by an officer of the colony under 
such circumstances need not be commented upon. This was 
vastly different from any of our Oriental experiences, even 
where we have necessarily been under surveillance grow- 
ing out of the present war. 

We have had a most agreeable voyage of two weeks' dur- 
ation. The Japanese certainly understand how to organize 
and maintain a first-class service on the sea. With our leav- 
ing the good Japanese ship and landing on the pier at 
Brisbane, Australia, our Oriental experiences have termi- 
nated. God has been kind to us. His great goodness and 
transcendent mercy have followed us from place to place. 
I feel that I have acquired much more from those among 
whom our lot has been cast than I have been a'oie to give 
them in return. 



The End. 



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1 TRRftRY OF CONGRESS 

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